Rodney John - angells-au

I was born in Tibooburra NSW on January 25th, 1951.

I spent my informative years living with the family on Binerah Downs station just north of Tibooburra.

I recall quite a few things about my early life, probably from about 3 years of age.

I know that as a kid, I was somewhat of a "terror" constantly going against orders and advice from my parents. I have no idea why I was like that but as an instance of one such episode I will relate the story of the tricycle that I was given for either christmas or my birthday when I was about 3 years old.

I took that tricycle (a Cyclops brand) into the station workshop where I proceeded to pull it apart. I think at that time I was testing myself out as to whether or not I had the skills to put it back together.

Well my father came in when I had it completely pulled apart with bits and pieces all over the places and did I get a good stiff talking to over my actions. I was told to put it back together in no uncertain terms.

If I recall correctly, this was a much harder task than pulling it apart and in the end, my father put it back together.

I lived on Binerah Downs until the family moved to Broken Hill in 1958.

My first taste of schooling was through the School of the Air which was still in it's infancy and I really enjoyed the experiences that came with the schooling. We made a number of trips to Broken Hill where we met up with many other kid's who were being educated through the School of the Air and joined in for picnic day's and sports carnival's.

We spent many a day swimming the dams on the station and generally getting into a lot of mischief.

I recall as a 5 year old sitting on my fathers lap while he drove the station truck, a 26 foot tray body International and being allowed to steer it. Steering was very hard with no power assisted steering in those days and it was a hard task to stay on the roads around the property.

I think I was about 6 when I first got to drive the Ferguson tractor and from there graduated to the old Army Jeep.

As kids we made our own fun which today the legislators have made most of, illegal and to me that means they have taken the learning by hard knocks skill out of kids lives of today.

The family moved to Broken Hill when I was 7 years old and I missed station life at the time and still do to this day.

I was educated in Broken Hill, firstly at North Broken Hill Public School and then the Broken Hill High School.

To be continued

My Teenage Years

To be written.

My Adult Years

To be written!

Created on 08/10/2008 01:43 AM by Rod
Updated on 11/01/2010 12:50 AM by Rod