New Frontier - 5. NF Chap 5

Two weeks later I was standing at the back of a large crowd for the auction of the property, with the auction taking place at the recreation centre, and I was in shock at how the auction was going. “This is the last call for this wonderful semi rural property consisting of 9 acres of prime land, with views of the Indian Ocean, a four bedroom house, vineyards, fruit orchard and tree groves, any more bids for this wonderful property?

Going once, going twice… Sold to the gentleman at the front for 3.2 million dollars, Congratulations to the new owners,” the Auctioneer called as he slammed down his hammer onto a block of wood. As the crowds started to file out of the large function room, I saw a man and his family speaking to the auctioneer.

When the man turned sideways, I was shocked to see that it was Jasper, and standing with him was Anita, Nathan and Micah. “Uncle Anton,” little Micah called out as he came rushing towards me, and I bent down to scoop him up in my arms, and hugged him as I walked towards Jasper and Anita.

“Now this is a huge surprise, how did this all happen?” I asked as I neared my friends. “A win on the lottery, I got very lucky and won $12 million, and after tax, I have enough to buy our former home,” Jasper explained, “Which we are pleased with, although we were starting to get close to our absolute limit for bidding,” Anita added, as I leaned in and gave her a hug, before shaking Jasper’s hand and then Nathan’s.

“My word the two boys have grown, since I last saw them,” I commented, as I bent down to let Micah back onto his feet. “So you are still working then?” I asked, “Yes, we both are, I rejoined the police force, and we have relocated back here, with Anita being the boss with the rank of Senior Sergeant, and I am a Sergeant now,” Jasper explained.

“Well this is great news to see you all back in Jurien Bay again,” I said happily, “It is great to be back and see you again too mate,” Jasper said to me. “When did you start back at the Jurien Bay Police Station?” I asked, “We both start on Monday.

We were going to live in the Police Staff house, but it is a bit too small for our family, so we decided to invest, and when we saw the old place for sale, we decided to have a go at buying it, even though we were not sure if we would get it with the other three keen bidders at the auction,” Anita said.

I am a bit shocked at how high the bidding got too, way more than I expected. Now I will have now refusals, come over to my place for dinner tonight, for a celebration dinner,” I said, and the Adamson family agreed to the invitation.

With the crew away, there was just the family, as Sarah, Oscar and James were at their home, and as the four boys left the table after finishing dinner, and after tea and coffee had been served, I suggested to Jasper and Anita, that I will return some of the money that they paid for their new home.

This announcement surprised both of them. “Are you sure about this? How much are you suggesting?” Anita asked me, “I am very sure. I was only expecting no more than $2 million, so anything more than that, I am willing to return to you, as that is a fair price,” I replied.

“Wow, thanks for that, it means that we can concentrate on the boys getting a good education, as Nathan wants to go to university to study Law, and when he is old enough, we would like Micah to go to Grammar School,” Jasper said to me.

After an enjoyable evening, Jasper, Anita and family headed back to their Police house accommodation, and the family all retired to their bedrooms. The next morning, when the boys were out checking the animals in the wildlife reserve along with James and Oscar, after an early breakfast, and when Gramps had not made an appearance yet, I went to his room to check on him.

Although it was a shock, I knew that Gramps had a full and happy life, and now he had passed away in his sleep, as I left his room and retrieved my mobile.

“Hello Jasper, can you and Anita come over here please, it is for official business I am afraid,” I said when the call was answered, “Yes… it is Gramps, I have just found him,” I added when Jasper asked me a question. “Ok, I will see you both soon, bye,” I said and ended the call, before starting to cry softly.

“Anton? What is the matter?” Sarah asked me when she came into the lounge from the office area, “Its Gramps… he has gone… Jasper and Anita are on their way, can you keep the boys occupied while all the official stuff is done,” I said to Sarah.

“Yes, of course, I am sorry for his passing, he was a real gentleman, and he will be missed by us all,” Sarah replied before heading downstairs, and a few minutes later, I saw Sarah taking Oscar and my brothers for a drive in her vehicle, and a few minutes later James appeared.

“I am so sorry to hear of your grandfather’s passing,” James said to me, and as I stood, I headed downstairs and he followed me down, and we sat on the wall at the base of the car park, to wait for the police cars to arrive. Over the next hour, Anita and Jasper spoke to me, had a short visit into Gramps bedroom, and when the doctor arrived, he too checked Gramps, before the local ambulance service collected Gramps body, and took him away to Dongara, where the nearest funeral service is located.

“When Sarah returned with the boys, I took my brothers for a walk along the beach, where I broke the news that Gramps has passed away in his sleep overnight, and as expected, both boys began to cry, and I comforted them both as we sat on the beach, looking out to the Indian Ocean.

Three days later, in the late morning, the family, friends and staff, gathered at the cemetery for the funeral of Gramps, and afterwards we gathered onboard the yacht for a wake, which lasted for the remainder of the afternoon, after a nice lunch provided by Finn with Anita assisting.

Once the Adamson family, Sarah and Oscar had been returned to the mainland, we headed back out to sea again, with just my brothers and I and the four crew, to spend a few days of just relaxing, and continue to mourn the loss of Gramps.

It was during this time that I was beginning to think that maybe it was time for my brothers and I to leave Jurien Bay, and find a new place to live for a while, knowing that Simon, Finn and crew plus Sarah at the office, and James caring for the animals, to keep the business running smoothly.

When we arrived back in Jurien Bay, the boys where slowly getting used to not having Gramps around, and while the boys went to visit the animals, I headed to the office to catch up on what is happening with the business. “Hi boss, did you all have a good break at sea?” Sarah said happily when I walked in.

“Yes thanks Sarah, how are things going here, do we have any more bookings?” I responded, “We sure do, I had to postpone one because you had taken the yacht out, and they understood when I explained that there was a death in the family.

By the way you have and express letter from Canada,” Sarah replied, as she located the letter and handed it over. I walked back to the house and sat down in the lounge, not sure who the letter was from, until I opened it and smiled.

“Dear Anton and boys, we are so sorry to hear of the passing of your grandfather recently, he was a true Gentleman and will be sadly missed. One thing that we didn’t tell you when we last met, is that my great uncle George, owns two modular cabins on Partridge Island, which is a 250 acre island, that is located 260 metres north of the north west tip of Bruny Island and five kilometres east of mainland Tasmania.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife Tasmania has tolerated him staying there, because he was doing important wildlife research, as well as a lot of cleaning up of Blackberries and English Ivy, which has been let to grow wild since the department compulsorily acquired the island from it’s private owners.

Sadly he passed away two years ago, when a friend of his tried to contact him by radio and he failed to answer, and apparently he had died in his sleep on the island, and that is where he is buried. We visited his grave site about six months ago, and his metal shack, which consists of three converted shipping containers, was still there and still in good order.

You and the boys are most welcome to use the shack as a retreat. I don’t see any reason why you can’t use it while it is still exists, and there is a small jetty on the central east side of the island for easy access.

Any way take care the three of you, and maybe we shall meet again. Send us a postcard when you return to civilisation once you have visited the island. Regards, from your friends, Vic and Rita Kenworth.”

A second page was a Statuary Declaration – “I Rita Anne Kenworth, sole heir to Mr George Huntaway’s estate, here by grant permission for Mr Anton Hamilton of Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Zoologist, Marine Biologist and Environmental Scientist, permission to stay at the residence of the former Mr George Huntaway, on Partridge Island, Tasmania. Signed on this day by Rita A Kenworth.”

“Wow,” I said to myself, with this totally unexpected offer of a place to go, which sounds very remote, so I started up my computer to do a bit of research on Partridge Island. In my research, I learnt that the island is covered in a Eucalyptus forest, with grassy understory, with just birds and a few smaller retiles located on the island, which thankfully didn’t include any snakes.

An email arrived as I was researching, and I stopped to open it, and smiled when I saw that it was from Vic and Rita. “Hello my friend, I am presuming that you have received our letter by now, this is just a follow-up with some more information.

I have just learnt that Uncle George had applied to the Federal Court, to have Partridge Island, returned to private ownership, after presenting reports on how rundown the facilities on the island had been let to go wild, with zero management of the island.

I am pleased to inform you that the Federal Court of Australia had agreed on Uncle George’s recommendation, with other privately owned islands in the area; Freehold ownership was awarded to Mr George Huntaway or his heirs, so now I own a 250 acre island in Tasmania. I don’t have very much saved, but I want to pay for any improvements that you can make to the island while you and the boys are there. Regards, Rita.”

I clicked on the reply tab to send a response, “Hello Rita. Thanks for the update and congratulations on ownership of an Island. Don’t bother about sending me any money, I am very happy to fund any improvements to the island, and I will keep you updated regularly.

Thankyou for the opportunity to go to your Island, and for giving my brothers and I a place to just relax and enjoy the Tasmanian Island Wilderness. Regards, Anton.”

I now began searching for a smaller yacht, that we could use to get to and from the island, and although I started looking at sailing catamarans, I soon drifted over to small expedition boats, and came across one that would be suitable for getting too and from the island plus provide a research facility for me, plus be able to take paying guests out for weekend trips.

The vessel that I found to be the best suited is named the ‘Jolly Tasman’, which is a 36 metre long and 8.4 metre wide small expedition yacht, and is currently based in Port Huon, which is a small Tasmanian town located on the north side of the bay leading into the Kermandie River, just off the Huon River, approximately thirty two kilometres north of Partridge Island.

Picking up the telephone at my desk, I dialled a number that I knew at the top of my head. “Hello Joyce, this is Anton Hamilton speaking, I have some business for you,” I said when the call was answered… “Yes but it is part business and part recreational.

Myself and my two brothers, Neale who is now 17 and Jedd who is almost 15… Yes, I know, I can hardly believe it myself,” I said answering the statement that they have grown so fast. “Yes business class for all three of us, and it is to Hobart, Tasmania, plus two hotel rooms in the town of Port Huon, and I will need a hire car for about two weeks also,” I continued.

I looked over to Sarah’s desk, where I had noticed that she had stopped typing and was listening into one side of the conversation and I smiled to her, before turning back to my computer, which was running on idle. “Yes as soon as possible please. Thankyou for that, I will speak to you again soon, bye for now,” I said before ending the call.

“Tasmania eh boss? That sounds delightful,” Sarah commented to me, and I turned to face her, “It is partly business and also I thought it would be good for the boys to have a change of scenery,” I responded, Sarah nodded her head in understanding and resumed typing.

At dinner time, which seemed a lot quieter with Gramps no longer with us, I could see that my brothers are still hurting. “I have some news guys; we are going on a trip once the travel agent has made all the arrangements. It is partly business and mostly holidays, and we are going to Tasmania,” I announced to my brothers.

Both boys didn’t say anything, and the room remained quiet, until Neale finally spoke up, “It is nice there, I remember when we called into there when we sailed to New Zealand,” he said and Jedd nodded his head in agreement.

“I am glad to hear that, as I am considering making it our temporary home for a few years, well until Jedd has finished high school at least,” I responded, “Really? That would be awesome,” Jedd said excitedly, “Does anyone else know that we are going?” Neale asked.

“Well Sarah heard me calling the travel agent to make the arrangements, but I only stated that we would be staying for two weeks, so no one knows that we will be staying longer,” I replied. “Where will we be living?” Neale asked me.

“Actually, that is the interesting bit, I don’t think you remember Vic and Rita Kenworth, I met them when we made a trip to the Cocos Keeling Islands, anyway, Rita’s Uncle owned an island, and when he passed away two years ago ownership went to Rita.

They heard about Gramps passing away, and she has offered the island to us for a place to live for as long as we want, since they are in Canada, so it is a bit too far for them to make trips to check on the island, and with all of my science degrees, it would be a great opportunity for me to have a place like that to work from,” I informed the lads. “How would we get to this island, and is it a rough trip to get there?’ Jedd asked.