Thursday 1 March 2018

The day we went to Mr Chicken's farm.


So my late dad had a mate in the Buffalo Lodge and his name was Don Chicken.

And he was a farmer.

True!

Around this same time I was about 4 years old and going to Mrs Henzle's kindergarten at Nundah. It was a big old Queenslander and I hated the place. If you were naughty (like me.. saying the word "bum") then you got your tongue painted with a mixture of castor oil and soap. And then the old bag would turn off the taps really hard so you couldn't wash your mouth out.

I think she may have had a Phd in the torture of small children.

We were made to drink luke warm milk that the milkman brought each day.

I hated the milkman's semi sour milk and I hated him even more when he ran over Mrs Henzle's dog and killed it.

You see the dog was the only thing I liked about the place.

Actually, twice I ran away from the place with David Lentz, son of Earl Lentz and what an adventure that was. My first motorbike ride.

But that is for another day.

Anyhow... dad decides it would be good if all the kids could visit Mr Chicken's farm. So the day came and we all boarded a bus for the bush of Pine Rivers.


Now at the farm there were lots of things to see, chickens (and not just the Chicken family) and cows and even some horses. The kids were in seventh heaven.

And then I spied the tractor. It was what I now know to be TEA Fergy. I just would not leave this tractor alone. I climbed on it.. was ordered off and sent to feed the chooks. But as soon as no one was looking, I headed straight back and jumped up in the saddle of the tractor. Not an easy thing for a 4 year old to do I might mention.


I'd love one now!

Day's end came and we all headed back to the bus and back to Nundah from where our folks collected us.

The next day at kindergarten, we were all asked to talk about the farm visit... almost a deposition really.

What sort of sounds did you hear at the farm yard ?

One boy said.... "cluck cluck" of the chooks.

A girl piped up with "moo" from the cows.

"What about you Mark" asked the old biddy?

"I told you before, get off that fucking tractor!"


Yep.. well that's me.

Please note: While this really happened in 1957, the story may have been enhanced for the reader's enjoyment.


Don Chicken's farm went under with the North Pine Dam construction. His son Lindsay has a farm stay at Kobble Creek. In the late 90s I shot many weddings there.

You can stay there too. Check it out!

But.. stay off the fucking tractor.