Outback Corporation - 3. OBC Chapter 3

Once the families were settled, they came back outside to join the rest of the crowd. Shortly after everyone relaxed, the sound of a plane approaching could be heard, “Excuse me,” I murmured and strode over to the office.

“Pondana this is RFDS, requesting permission to land over” I heard on the radio just as I was approaching the office door, grabbing the radio, I walked back outside before replying.

“RFDS this is Pondana, permission is granted, please use North South runway as there is currently a 25-knot wind from the North-North West over” I replied,

“Pondana, please be advised we have two, I repeat two planes arriving for an overnight stay, over”.

I smiled before grabbing the hand-held radio and answering, “Pondana to RFDS, that is fine, safe landing, and see you soon, over and out.

As I sent the last message I had walked out of the office and was approaching the crowd of happy people gathered around the veranda of the homestead. The BBQ’s were almost ready for the steaks, sausages and burgers to go on the hot plates for cooking and a number of tables had appeared with a large selection of salads, plates, cutlery and sauces. Chris and Daniel had disappeared in two vehicles to collect the RFDS crews. Since there were two crews coming, I jumped into another vehicle, as it was needed to help with transport. I arrived just as the second plane was approaching the runway for landing.

Suddenly, a storm appeared out of nowhere, just as we had finished loading all the luggage and people into the vehicles. At first, mostly lightning, with plenty of thunder. By the time we had returned to the homestead, the BBQ’s had been moved onto the veranda, down near the kitchen end, and the tables were moved to against the wall so nothing would get wet.

Over the next two hours the 41 adults gathered at the station for Christmas Eve were happily enjoying their meals, while the 6 kids were having a great time running around the veranda some of them screaming and dashing to their respective parents for comfort, when there was a big bolt of lightning and a loud clash of thunder to follow. Shortly after the kids had been settled down in their beds for the night, there was a crackle from the VHF radio that I still had in my pocket.

“Mayday, Mayday, this is corporate jet Whiskey Zulu 480, from Brisbane our destination is Perth, but we have been struck by lightning and have lost one of our engines, our location is 470 km’s east south east of Kalgoorlie, I have the Trans Australian Railway line on my left side, over”, without hesitation I grabbed the radio from my pocket and answered the call,

“Whiskey Zulu 480, this is Cattle Station Pondana, we are just 48 km’s south west of your current location, we have a sealed airfield with lights, turn left now and keep an eye out for our runway lights, we have the RFDS currently at our location for any medical assistance, how many people do you have on board, over”? While I replied, Chris and Daniel jumped into a ute to go to turn on the lights at the airfield. Also, one of the RFDS crew jumped into another ute to follow in case medical assistance is required.

“Pondana, this is WZ480, we are grateful for your assistance, we have now turned left towards your location, there is four crew and 25 passengers, what are the weather conditions like on the ground over” was the reply.

I quickly looked at the small weather station located on the veranda wall. “WZ480, currently the barometric pressure is 1002 and falling, winds are 45 km’s per hour coming from the North, North West, suggest using the north south runway approaching from the south, station and RFDS staff are on their way to the runway now, and the lights will be on shortly, safe landing and see you soon over” I replied.

Although I could hear the sound of the plane approaching from the North East, I couldn’t see anything because of the storm clouds that hid the full moon. The plane landed safely on the airfield, and Chris radioed me to inform me that there were only a few minor injuries amongst the passengers, 5 teachers and 20 students from a private school in Perth.

They had been on a holiday in Queensland and were returning home. I asked Chris to arrange for the unexpected guests to be accommodated at the guest village, and that I would send one of the cooks over with some food to feed them before they sleep, to help them recover from their ordeal.

“Hey Kes?” Daniel called out, “Our guest are all settled for the night. The RFDS doctor and nurse have treated the people with minor injuries”.

“Thanks Daniel, Chris for taking care of that. Wow, it’s late, I’ll see you all in the morning”. I headed over to my quarters, making sure I was very quiet as I entered, with Mitchell sleeping in the bedroom next door.

The next morning, I was up early and made my way over to the homestead for a cup of tea, and a quick chat to the cook so see if she needed any assistance. On arrival I found all three cooks busy preparing a large breakfast for the station staff, family, the RFDS crews plus the 29 unexpected guests.

The peace and quiet of the early morning outside was soon broken with the sounds of children laughing and chatting, as they ran around waking everyone up so they could open up their Christmas presents.

Under the Christmas tree was one large box with my name on it, but I was not sure who it was from, so I carefully carried it out onto the veranda and slowly opened it to find a pair of new work boots and a felt hat. A card attached was from dad, “To my dear son Kes, you have probably found out where I am now, I am thinking of you every day, have a great Christmas, with all my love, Dad”.

I had tears coming down my cheeks as I was admiring my new work gear, and didn’t notice Chris come up behind me, when he saw the tears and the card I was still holding, he sat beside me and gave me a sideways hug, staying sitting beside me in silence to let me know he was there for me. “I miss him so much, it hurts every time I think of him” I eventually said quietly, just loud enough for just Chris to hear me.

Soon, the silence was broken when I heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, I saw the rest of my aunts and uncles coming towards me. One by one Christine, Marcus, Amos, Jonah and Nadia gave me a hug, and sat around me in support.

“Kes as the 2^nd oldest boy, of our generation, and on behalf of the others in the family gathered here, we want to let you know that we are here for you whenever you need any help. In fact, some of us have already taken action to remain here after the Christmas celebrations to continue supporting you” Marcus said, and I sat there stunned at what I had just heard. I looked at all of them and they smiled and nodded in agreement with what had been said.

“Hamish and I have already made plans to move hoping that you would accept us. Hamish has just recently been retrenched from his job as Projects manager for the performing arts and entertainment company, WAPAECo, I was only working part time for the same company as a Sales and Promotions assistant, and quit my job when they retrenched Hamish” Christine said.

Adding to the conversation, “I also have been retrenched recently, from the Real Estate firm I have been working for the past two years. Carson, who worked as a Senior Property manager, quit his job just last week because of the way they treated me. We too, are hoping you will accept us” I was very surprised at what I was being told and didn’t know what to say, I just sat there stunned. “Tristan and I are in discussions but no plans set yet”, Marcus added.

Eventually after a long period of silence I eventually spoke up. “Well I guess there is not much I can say but, welcome back home. I guess we better start working on getting better living space for the families. Maybe include more for the rest of the family in case they decided to move in as well” I said with a big smile.

When I had recovered enough, I lead the way back inside, to re-join the others to open presents, and finish having breakfast. While the kids were enjoying their new presents us adults began to clean up the mess left behind in the lounge, as this was being done, the cook announced to me that we had enough food to include the extra guests for Christmas lunch and that and invite had been sent over to the guest village to invite them to the main homestead for the Christmas celebration.

In the mean time I had been thinking about what my Uncles and Aunts had been saying earlier and decided that it would be a good time to call a family meeting, and so with my 4 uncles and 2 aunts, we went over to the admin building where we wouldn’t be disturbed.

Once everyone was seated, I looked at all of them knowing they were in for a big surprise, as he pulled out 6 envelopes from his desk drawer. “As you may recall, some years ago, well before I was in the picture, your oldest brother, my dad, had allocated shares to you all, Chris has a few more than the rest of you, as he inherited some from his father, but you still are shareholders in the two companies that I am currently managing.

As the first major decision as the Executive Director of Murchison Pastoral Investments and Western Deserts Pastoral Co, I am pleased to issue you all with a cheque as a payment as part of the profits of the two companies” I said with a huge grin, handing the envelopes to my Uncles and Aunts. “Holy Cows and Camels, 62 thousand dollars” Nadia shouted when she looked at the cheque.

“Yes, that’s right and it’s for you to decide on how you spend it, no one else, and I don’t think cows are holy” I said happily, as I looked over to Chris who I knew had a double amount in his cheque. He looked just as stunned as he kept staring at the cheque silently, “Now the other bit of business is ….” I was interrupted by the sound of the RFDS radio sending out an emergency broadcast signal to all stations.

“RFDS to all stations, in the Murchison, Goldfields and Interiors regions, be aware that ex tropical cyclone Matilda, has regain strength and is now a category three cyclone. Matilda is about to cross the coast again, just South of Exmouth, travelling in a south-east direction at 35 km’s per hour, a Cyclone watch is now in place for all areas in a line from Exmouth to Carnarvon, including all towns near Meekatharra, Wiluna, Leinster, Laverton & Kalgoorlie”.

Forgetting all about the meeting, I grabbed the 2-way radio, “Admin to Kitchen, over”?

“Kitchen here, yes boss we heard the RFDS warning, the head teacher is contacting his school to get instructions on what to do, Barrett is rounding up all the staff on the lower stations to head home to batten down everything, over” Daniel said.

“Daniel, tell Barrett don’t go, yet. We have time to finish celebrating Christmas, and that he won’t need to leave till the morning to get things sorted, over” I replied. I followed the others out the door and over to the homestead to start the Christmas lunch half an hour earlier than planned so we could relax a little bit before getting organised for the cyclone.