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Images of our Family History in Mullumbimby NSW 27.5.1999
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Images of our Family History in Mullumbimby NSW 27.5.1999 |
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Isis Member Ascendant
since 1999-09-06
Posts 6296Sunny Queensland 
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* I haven't posted in Prose for ever so long and decided to share this, a writing about my day trip down to Mullumbimby to share the family history with my husband and son. It is a strange style, probably full of errors, more like a journal entry. I have written it to place in the family history book I am making, it sums it all up I think.. * This was our first long trip with our son Dylan Andrew who turns four next month. We left Brisbane Queensland at about 8.15 am. Apparently as were early to leave we just missed a huge traffic buildup on the Gateway arterial, for there had been a car accident. After a lovely uneventful drive we arrived in Murwillumbah NSW at about 10 am. We found a park by the Tweed River and had a morning tea picnic. I sat, and gazed upstream towards the less inhabited part of the Tweed River. The sun was still north-east of us and shone picturesquely upon the Tweed. Except for the traffic noice behind me, I'd have been completely contented to sit and look upstream at the still, mirror imaged river for hours, as I do so many years ago. We haven't been down this way for 9 years, and only this far, we've already noticed Murwillumbah and the surrounding district are much more populated. Whilst writing this, I've got three carolling Magpies single only 2 - 5 metres from me. Singing their welcome to us and their wishes for a safe and rewarding journey this fine Autumn Day. I'm so glad that overall, nothing much has changed the views or the feelings of peace one finds when observing the Tweed River in all her finery. And our first glances of Mt.Warning were as always, majestic and breathtaking, just as I remembered. Time has stood still on and in the foothills surrounding Mt. Warning. Mt. Warning, Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay are part of the Tulk Family History. We have all been coming down here most of our lives. And visiting again those familiar roads and views, still has the long remembered and often sought after, calming effect on me. As always a trip through many of my yesterdays is just like coming home. 11 am driving through Mooball. As a child I always took great joy in the little town known as Mooball. I took even more joy in yelling 'Moo!' at any poor unsuspecting cow in around the town of Mooball. Mooball is as unchanged as ever. But since my childhood, and our last visit here, some 9 years ago, they've now painted all the telephone poles on the main drag black and white. Just like black and white jersey cow prints. The local petrol station's cafe is now called 'The Moo Moo Cafe'. Onto Brunswick Heads where we stopped for lunch. We crossed the same little old footbridge over the river and wlked to the Breakwater and Main Beach. We took off our shoes and had a run on the beach. For me it was the 1970's all over again, except this time it was my child running free with me. I just so love the Northern Rivers of NSW and this stretch of coastline, it's overflowing with memories for me. Back to the Brunswick River and I caught some purple Soldier Crabs for Dylan to look at and touch, then let them go of course. He loved the rompin and play just as I did when I was a child his age. Then off to Byron Bay, Australia's Most Easterly Point and the first place the sun touches in Australia each morning. It has changed, time has moved on here in Byron Bay. There are many more local shops that a decade ago but the countryside is still the same and still feels like home. We had a quick peek around town. Now finally off to Mullumbimby. The drive from Byron to Mullum is the same I remembered, though they have changed the main road between the two by putting in some sort of overpass, and it's doubled laned now instead of single laned. Mullumbimby has certainly grown!! We finaly found my Great Aunt Marie's town house, and took a photo. The house still proudly stands on the corner of Chincogan Street just up the road from the local RSL club. Then up the road to Main Arm, the first bit of it leaving town is more populated than I remember, but very shortly we were rolling over the familiar twists and turns of the road that I remembered so fondly from days gone by. On the right side of the road, heading out to Mai Arm, we passed the old farm Marie and her husband Les Henderson worked before he died in the 1970's. I recognized it at once by the old cow sheds. I was getting excited! My hands trembled ever so slightly. I was going back to the land of my forefathers. A few more meanders in the road and I saw the familiar Sherry's Bridge which neighbours the property, then there it was! The old Tulk homestead, originally built in the 1880's. I was so thrilled to see it again. I made David double back the car, so I could get a photot of the house from Sherry's Bridge. The house faces the creek, and that is the view I had in my mind's eye, all these years, so I wanted that particular shot to photograph. The back and up the driveway and Mr Roly Johnson came out to meet and greet us. We introduced ourselves, I had spoken to him on the phone. Roly showed me the borders of my Great Grandfather Walter's farm as they'd have been in his day. Since then of course the Johnson family has bought the surrounding properties. I was taking photos of it, imagining it with eyes half closed as it would have been in Walter's time. I showed Roly the old family photographs that I'd photocopied for him. I walked around the farm taking photos from different vantage points. I was finally STANDING on my Great Grandfather's farm, I had temporarily stepped back in time. It was an amazing feeling - one of those monumental moments in life that you always remember fondly. So important for me and my family. Roly and his wife invited us inside, and they allowed me to photograph the house. They also served up afternoon tea as though we were part of the family. Typical country hospitality never dies! The whole house was originally built in Teak wood and some of the original wood was still out on the verandah. The house was small, 3 bedrooms, but it 'felt' full of life with a thousand stories to tell about at least four families that have lived in it over the past 120 years or so. I was pleased to see that the Johnsons lovingly looked after the house and are so proud of it's age and history, cos by God, it IS worth it, not just becuase it was my Great Grandfather's home but becuase was beautifully built so long ago in the 1880's. The Johnson's had a visitor's book that you have to sign as they get many visitors for the house's age and history. I walked around the farmyard one last time. Memorising it all, as it would have been, and as it is now. The whole time I was wholeheartedly dodging the abundant cow pats, so obviously they still graze cattle in the home paddock. I took a photo of Dylan, standing at the back of the homestead, his Great, Great Grandfather's house. A family and historic milestone for him, for us all. The visit was all that I'd hoped for and more. Mullumbimby NSW 27.05. 1999 I'll tell you this...... No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn..... ~Isis~ (Goddess - Sovereign of the Spirit) |
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Joel the wolf Senior Member
since 2000-04-06
Posts 1333Angels Camp |
It sounds like a wonderful trip, I did the same thing going back to Arkansaw many years ago. love ya kid. W. D. and I will be married this Wed in Sparks. Joel. I howl a mournful song, that echos within my chambered heart, for all to read? nay for all to feel. |
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Erin Member Elite
since 2000-06-15
Posts 2527~Chicago~ |
sounds like you had alot of fun!! |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
I love it, Isis! You make it sound so wonderful (which I'm sure it was) and I almost felt I was right there with you and can see the whole thing happening in front of me. Thank you so very much for sharing this with us.  |
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Isis Member Ascendant
since 1999-09-06
Posts 6296Sunny Queensland |
Thanks Joel, Erin, and Balladeer, it was a great trip I'll tell you this...... No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn..... ~Isis~ (Goddess - Sovereign of the Spirit) |
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
Sure feels like you had a nice trip, Isis... and the account of it is so wonderful.... regards, sudhir |
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