Allan and his wife Shirley are both children of Robinvale, now living not so far away in rural SA. Of his memories of Robinvale, Allan writes:
“Robinvalians, townies, farmers and blockies, I remember as a kid so much that made us kids the oldies we are fast becoming.The stinking hot summers, the swimming in the river, the smells of the winery, Anzac marches, school, Pop McKenzie at the primary school, yard duties, Maurie Phillips at the high school.Kay Grose, Betty Cramp, Peter Green and so many others who taught us, good or bad, ( depending on opinion, Miss Doodee, interesting art classes).Enough of that now, but we really did have a truly multicultural upbringing, an often antagonistic learning experience, one that did not see, ( as children) those differences that were seen by our parents.Those differences, ( as children ) were not there, I believe, in my minds eye at least, we were just kids growing into the people we are now, some good, some bad, some naughty, some sad.Others that have left us, others that through this new technology are recommitting, renewing, revisiting those friendships that started with us some 70 odd years ago.On our block, block 7c, those years rolled into memories of work stemmed between grapes, bees and honey, horses, sheep, cattle and a childhood of work starting at a very early age. Yet, sitting here writing this, I reckon that there would not be much I would change, that up bringing has stemmed, with me at least, into my writing, performing and a history that carved me into the father, grandfather and very soon the great grandfather I have become. None of those great grandees on the horizon as we know of yet, but, at our age soon can mean somewhere in the next ten years.The puffs of red dust rising between toes on bare feet, down headlands constantly pounded by tractor wheels at harvest time, the smells of emulsion oil on summer nights, hot caustic smells of Gordoe dip tank for raisins.Cold winter’s pruning, pulling canes that whipped bare skin I remember hurt like hell. Plums, peaches, apricots, quinces, all straight off the tree, what a start my parents gave me, experiences money could never buy, lessons no education system could ever hope to deliver.We are Robinvale kids that had something special, that probably as kids never fully appreciated, at least until we now are growing older, should I forever be damned lest I forget where I started from, be beaten within an inch of my existence for being ungrateful for a hard life that made me the man I am.I am proud to say that I am a Robinvalian, proud to say I am an anti racist, proud to say I am an Australian sharing with all other Australians a land I call home, no matter colour, creed, religion, or historical background, we are one, we are many, be Australian, be proud.I know I am grateful, thankful to have known those who know me, who have contributed to make me the Robinvale born Australian I am.”
Written 14/05/2024 by
A.B.( BEN) EGGLETON
THE BARD FROM THE SCRUB.
And thank you Robinvale.
Ben’s Youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+bard+from+the+scrub
Hello Ben
I am an old time resident of Robinvale.
Could you please send me your Email address
Regards
Robert Bond