Mt Mee News
As I write there has been no worthwhile rain at all in April and it looks as though our wonderful summer growing season has come to an end. What a beauty it has been though – and weren’t we just about due for it? For the first time in years our place has looked the way it should and the dams have actually run over. It has been a blessedly light year for ticks and buffalo fly too, and although the worms have enjoyed the conditions our local cattle have never looked better.
Unquestionably, the most notable recent event has been the 60th wedding anniversary of Marge and Len Pedwell (pictured above). This was celebrated with a breakfast at “Birches” with the extended family and a few close friends, on the first Sunday in April. The entire party then invaded the Markets next door, before heading home for a barbecue.
Always the romantic, Len responded to a questioner who asked the recipe for such a long and successful marriage with the simple statement – “You’ve got to live long enough”. But others obviously thought there is more to their achievement and there were congratulatory messages from Her Majesty herself and from our own Kevin 07 and Ms Anna to mention just a few.
The Anzac Day service at the Lookout will be over by the time you read this. Residents will be absolutely delighted that the Woodford RSL Sub-branch has successfully negotiated with Council for permission to plant the Mt Mee Look- Out with a descendant of the original “Lonesome” pine. This tree stood alone on that battlefield after the Turkish defenders had felled everything else for trench material. It was completely destroyed during the fighting and was replaced after the war with one from nearby. But a soldier of the Third Battalion found and sent home several cones from the original tree and this is the stock from which our tree has been grown.
It is pertinent to reflect that the entire Lone Pine battlefield covered no more ground than our Look-Out, but saw the fiercest and most tragic fighting of the entire tragic Gallipoli campaign. For five days and nights the Australians and the Turks fought hand to hand in the underground trenches with whatever came to hand – bayonet, bullet, fist, pickaxe, shovel! There were no less than seven VCs awarded and the casualties on both sides were beyond belief.
The RSL plans to develop a memorial around our tree in future years. What an appropriate spot for it!
It is almost “Symphony on the Mountain” time again. The St Lucia Orchestra will make their annual pilgrimage up the Mountain on 15th June for another of the immensely popular Sunday afternoon concerts. Bookings are already open!
And the interior of our old Hall has been repainted and will sparkle like the music!
Residents will be pleased to see that the new parking area is well under way and will be entertained to see local boy Lionel Simpson working seemingly solo, night and day, to spread the huge piles of fill with his giant machine!
The land was part of the nearby Duncan holding and the facility is to be named very appropriately after the late Arthur Duncan, who was very active in community affairs.
Hall Committee is keen to organise New Vogue/Oldtime dance lessons in the Hall if there is any interest. Phone Ron on 54982263.
Long serving Mt Mee Dance convener Betty Hyde has called it quits – after a solid twenty years of service and the monthly Dance continues under the stewardship of Ron Tumbridge under much the same New Vogue/Oldtime format. Committee is looking at ways to inform more people that we have the best bands, best floors, best suppers and best good-time dancing around, on the first Saturday of every month. Try it and see!
Those using the “Cutting” to D’Aguilar will notice that those astonishing dual wheel skid marks on the entry to every descending corner are fading. Does anyone know the story behind what must have been a nightmare for some truckdriver?
They will also notice that some-one has removed the “Long Corner” sign – hopefully just for renovation……………….???
Finally, we have learned of a dyslexic insomniac agnostic? He lies awake every night wondering if there is a dog!
By Ian Wells
