Great Western - 4. GW Chap 4

It is our hope to establish a third country passenger journey for Western Australian’s and its visitors. While the Prospector train from East Perth to Kalgoorlie takes 7 ¼ hours to travel, we are proposing to establish a passenger rail journey from Albany to Geraldton, via Northam, which is 340 kilometres longer in distance than the Prospector, and it will take just under 7 ½ hours.

We already have presented the idea to the state minister concerned, and he is delighted that we are putting this proposal together. We already have the train here, ready and waiting, and we will be using existing rail lines for the whole journey, with just one small 320-metre long section to be added in Northam, and another short section here in Geraldton, where we would like to build a train station and storage shed, at our cost” I said before sitting down.

All 3 council-staff sat there, with their mouths open, stunned at what I had just said. “I wish to apologise for my rude and uncalled for comment earlier, I see that you are a very bright and skilled young man, pleas accept my apology” the executive assistant said to me. “Apology accepted” I responded, and my Dad just leaned back and smiled.

“As you can see, my son is very good at his job, and I am very proud of him, even the Minister was very impressed with him” my Dad said eventually.

“That I can see, Mr Ashburton, now, where do you propose to put this new train station and storage shed?” the Infrastructure manager asked. “We have approached the freight company that leases the freight rail lines, and they are not agreeable to using their facilities, which I feel are way too far out of town.

I would like to propose putting he train station and the storage shed, in one location close to the city, where Wilcock Drive crosses over the rail line, before the Link Road junction, opposite the TAFE College and Primary school” my father said.

“Yes, that is vacant land, and it would indeed be a good central location, I suggest we jump into a vehicle and inspect the site, thankyou ladies that will be all, I will handle things from here on end” the Infrastructure manager said, as we stood and left the room, and we followed the manager down a long passage way and out a back door, where a staff car park is located.

Ten minutes later we were at the location that I had suggested which was about 8 acres in area, and was big enough for both the train station and the storage shed, and a car park for collecting passengers. How long do you think it will take you to build the train station and storage shed?” we were asked.

If we can get a local company to do the job, we should have it done in just 3 months that includes building a rail siding, so as not to block the main line from freight trains” I replied, and my Dad nodded his head in agreement.

“Very well, I will put a rush on getting the approval done through council, so you can get started” the manager said as we headed back to the vehicle, and the manager dropped us off in the centre of town, so we could have a look around.

Dad spoke to mum on the mobile, and we met up at a restaurant for an early lunch and at 1pm, we were back at the airport, boarding an even smaller plane, for the flight to the Abrolhos Islands, with me in the co-pilot seat.

The trip to the Abrolhos Islands was amazing; flying 80 kilometres west, out into the Indian Ocean, where the 120 or so islands and reefs are a wildlife reserve and also the location of Western Rock Lobster fishing, during its very limited season.

I immediately stripped off my outer clothes, and with boardshorts already on, I grabbed my snorkel and flippers and set off for some ocean exploring, which was incredible. I didn’t want to go, when it was time to leave, but sadly I dried off and we climbed back into the plane for the return trip back to the mainland.

Mum decided that we should have a very early dinner, since it would be well after 7.30 before we get back to the hotel in Fremantle, so we enjoyed a meal at a small café on one of the main streets of the city, before catching a taxi to the airport.

My brothers slept for most of the flight back to Perth, which I was very pleased about, and I enjoyed watching the view from the side window.

When we finally arrived back at the hotel in Fremantle, my brothers had a shower and went straight to bed, and I followed soon after, having a full-on day in Geraldton, and thankfully, there was no set plans for tomorrow so we could all sleep in.

For a week, we stayed in Perth, visiting different beaches, and checking out some of the national parks in the region, which there are plenty of them, and finally Mum and Dad announced that we were ready to travel south to Albany, to get settled into our new home.

Dad informed me that Mrs Frazier and her children had moved into their new home next door, and that the house at number 13/13 View street is being renovated, while 23 View street will become the business office for Ashburton Engineering, as it was a very nice house inside, recently renovated, and it has three good size bedrooms, that can be used for an main office, meeting room, and a second office, while the dining room will become a conference room.

A connecting gate has been installed just outside the back door of number twenty-three, leading to the thick shady garden of The Rocks, for easy access between the two properties, as well as a connecting gate from the back of the Frazier house, once again for easy access to the main property, for Mrs Frazier and her children.

All of our luggage and belongings had been transported down to Albany, and Dad bought a 110 Landrover as the main family vehicle, and we drove own to Albany, which took us a very long 4 ½ hours to complete, and we were all quite tired by the time that we arrived in the small city.

Going the back route, we turned onto Serpentine road, shortly after passing the main roundabout, which has 5 roads leading off it, and as we neared the centre of town, Dad turned onto Parade Street, and then onto View Street, which runs along the back of the property.

Just as we neared our new home, Mum pressed the remote button for the rear gate, and we drove into the large 10 bay car park. “Welcome to our new home – known locally as The Rocks” my Dad announced as he parked the car near the house.

I have heard of this place, isn’t it meant to be a huge mansion” Oskar stated, “Well, yes, it is a mansion, but it isn’t that huge really, most of the property consists of a very large landscaped garden and tennis court” my Dad replied.

“Dad and I checked it out last time we were down here, and it has a billiards room, and each bedroom has its own bathroom” I commented, “Does that mean we are very rich Papa” Tomas asked, “Money wise no, most of our wealth is in property investments and stock market shares, so don’t go bragging that you are rich and that you live in a mansion, because if you do, not only will you get teased a lot at school, but you will also be in big trouble with us” Mum replied.

“I would prefer if no one knew that we lived here, can we say that we live somewhere else?” I asked, “Actually you boys have all be enrolled into the local Grammar school, and your residential address is listed as 23 View Street, which is that house next door, which is my place of work from now on” Dad said.

“If you like you can all leave and arrive home via next door, so no one sees you coming into our main house, we had a connecting gate installed at the back of the house” Mum suggested, “I am definitely going to do that” I said, and my brother also agreed, just as I saw Mrs Frazier appear.

“Hello Ashburton family, welcome to your new home” she said happily, as she gave my brothers a big hug, and reluctantly, I let her hug me too. “Mrs Frazier, this is my wife Catherine, with a C, and you have already met Vern, the other two are Oskar, with a K, and Tomas, without an H” my Dad said making the introductions.

“My word, that is a lot to take in, but welcome, please come inside, I have afternoon tea already prepared for you, and you can meet the other two members of my family that work here” Mrs Frazier said, and we followed here into the house.

As soon as we had been introduced to Dominic and Marie, my brothers dashed off to explore the house, and Dominic and Marie disappeared somewhere also, which I soon discovered was to the Landrover, to retrieve our luggage.

Mum, Dad and I sat down at the kitchen table, and Mrs Frazier served up afternoon tea for us. “How are you settling into your new home Mrs F?” I asked, between mouthfuls of delicious freshly baked scones.

“Don’t speak with your mouth full, Master Vern, and very well thankyou” Mrs Frazier replied, and I heard Mum chuckle, for me being told off by our house keeper, just as the boys returned and their eyes were glued to the plate of scones in the centre of the table.

“Can we have some please Mama?” Tomas asked, “Are your hands clean?” Mum replied, and the boys stuck their hands out for inspection, and Mum nodded her head in approval of the clean hands. “Sit down boys, and I will get you a glass of cordial” Mrs Frazier said to my brothers.

“I would obey Mrs Frazier, you don’t want to get in her bad books” I commented to my brothers, and they immediately sat down, and Mum handed them a scone each, which was gone in no time, which had Mrs Frazier go “Tsk, tsk, tsk” in annoyance at them.

I have the bedroom near the front, next to the billiards room, you guys can choose any other room” I said to my brothers. “Except for the room next to the master bedroom, as it will be the nursery” Mum added, and the boys took a few moments before it finally clicked what that meant. “Are you having another baby Mama?” Tomas asked.

“Yes, twins actually, they are due in August” Mum said to them, “girls or boys?” Oskar asked, “We won’t know until they are born, as we want to keep it a surprise” Dad answered. After eating a second scone each, the boys dashed off upstairs to chose a bedroom, and they returned, announcing they had chosen the two back bedrooms, one on each side of the central hallway.

“By the way Mrs Frazier, you may come across times when you may hear the family speaking in German or Italian, as they were the two main languages spoken, where we lived in Switzerland, and we often spent holidays, in Italy” my Mum informed our housekeeper. “Vern, Oskar, Tomas, Catherine and I, are also fluent in French, and Vern is fluent is Scottish Gaelic, Portuguese, Romansh and Greek, he is quite talented when it comes to languages” Dad added.

“Well, that is amazing, fluent in eight languages and you are only 16 years old, that is quite a talent” Mrs Frazier said in response, and I blushed a little at this little bit of attention. When the boys re-appeared, looking a bit red in the cheeks from all the running around, Mum ordered them to stop and sit down.

Once seated, Mum informed us that from now on, there is to be no running in the house, and that there would be a suitable punishment if caught, also we are to come home straight after school each day, and although free to roam around the garden, we are not to leave the property, unless we are with Mum or Dad or Mrs Frazier.

Our first night in our new home was very enjoyable, with Mrs Frazier and Marie cooking a wonderful roast dinner, and I was sleeping in a huge double bed for the first time. My bedroom was almost as big as the master bedroom, so there was plenty of space for everything of mine, including my computer and games system.

The next day Dad took us three boys to the Grammar school, where we bought our school uniforms and the books that we would require for next years classes. Reluctantly I agreed to do one language class, and I didn’t want to learn a new language, so I chose Italian. I would be in year 11 at school next year, with one more year to go after that, before graduating.

I had selected Advanced Mathematics, Business Studies, English Literature, Physics and Earth Science as my five core subjects, with Languages, Phys Ed and Information Technology, as my additional subjects. I have been doing very well in my education so far, with most of it being done in German and Italian, so I now had to concentrate and doing everything in English.

Christmas came and went, and the first three weeks of living in Albany was very enjoyable, with regular day trips to explore new parts of the region, from the tree top walk near Walpole, to climbing to the top of Bluff Knoll in the Porongurup’s.

By mid-January, it was getting very hot most days, and the family spent most of them down at Middleton Beach or Emu Point to keep cool, and when we arrived home after one day out, there was a copy of the local newspaper – The Great Southern Weekender, sitting on the table.