We Drove a Sunburnt Country Part One.

For six days, three states and over four thousand kilometers we drove across a sunburnt country from Darwin at the top end of the Northern Territory south/east to outback central Queensland and down through the back of NSW to Canberra and home to our quiet little cosy country estate..

Along the way I couldn’t help remember and recite a famous Australian poem that we were all taught at school (and loved) when we were young :-

 Dorothea Mackellar’s “My Country.”

I love a sunburnt country,

A sunburnt country of sweeping plain and far horizons.

A land of sweeping plains,
Of rugged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror-
The wide brown land for me!

We packed up the car and said goodbye to our view of the jewel sea, in this case the Arafura Sea as it enters Darwin Harbour. Within minutes we were in the harsh dry outback of the Northern Territory. Flat sweeping plains as far as the eye can see broken only by the occasional rugged mountains and an abundance of termite mounds so numerous it is impossible to count. First stop, Pine Creek, a tiny old gold mining town with nothing much open on a Sunday morning, so it was non-stop then to Mataranka for a promised legendary Mataranka pie. Another really tiny outback town, it’s main claim to fame being the autobiographical novel “We of the Never Never” by Jeannie Gunn and immortalised in the 1982 movie with Angela Punch McGregor in the leading role. Set in Mataranka, the book was written about the authors life and experiences moving to such a harsh and isolated area in 1902 when women, albeit white women, were not seen to be on the land or help their husbands on outback cattle stations. If you spend an afternoon swimming in the local thermal springs you can then partake in a cool ale at the local watering hole while watching the legendary movie. We didn’t stop long enough to do this as we had previously experienced the Mataranka hot springs in all their glory on another occasion. Over 1,100 km and and 12 hours after saying goodbye to Darwin we finally pulled in for the evening at Barkly Homestead, and yes, believe it or not, we were still in the Northern Territory! When travelling in air conditioned comfort it is easy to forget just how hot it is outside, (particularly as we approach the summer months in Australia and the “build up” in the NT) that is until you open the car door and step out into the furnace. It was 7:00 pm and yet still 45 degrees C with a formidable burning hot wind.

Avon Downs police station in the middle of nowhere.

Day 2 we set of bright and early before the heat set in and began our journey well. We planned to cross the border into Queensland and reach Mt Isa in time for morning tea. Should have known all good plans always go astray. As the sun and heat rose and we cruised through the sweeping plains gazing at the wonder of the far horizon, we came around a sweeping bend in the road and over a “flood” bridge only to find a pot hole in the middle of the road almost the same size as our car. Too fast and too dangerous to swerve we hit the pot hole and hoped for the best. Sure enough we blew out the front right tyre. Not a problem! Just pull on over to the side of the road, unpack the bags from the boot, lift up the flap and look inside to where the spare tyre should be. Were my eyes deceiving me? We have a brand new car and NO spare tyre! Who would have thought? It may have seemed naive of both of us not to check before leaving Sarwin but we both assumed a new car would come equiped with a spare tyre! There we found ourselves in the middle of the outback, heat rising every minute, and not a soul in sight for miles. “Not to worry” said hubby, “I’ll wave down the next truck driver that comes along and get him to radio for help.”

That was real successful! Turns out in the heat of the outback CB radio signals don’t reach futher than 10 km at most. The nearest small town was 70 km away and Mt Isa was still 300 km ahead. Not to worry, don’t despair, believe it or not, just 200 m further up the road was Avon Downs Police Station! Who would have believed it! In the middle of absolutely nowhere stood a police station! We limped the car up the road and found the local policeman just opening up shop for the day. His response, “So the pot hole has got another one has it?” He helped us organise a tow-truck into Camooweal, 12 km east of the NT border into Queensland, population 300 (on a good day when all the indiginous folk are in town to do a head count) so the tow truck driver told us.

What do you get if you cross a kangaroo with a buffalo?

The Buffaroo at Camooweal.

A buffaroo of course!

It stands proudly outside the Camooweal Roadhouse.
The story goes that one evening a couple of truckies were having a drink at the local pub and began to discuss who were tougher, Queenslanders or Territorians! The more they drank, the more vocal they became, the Queenslanders insisting their kangaroos were tougher than the territories buffalo. It didn’t take long before the idea came to pass that the strongest of all would be a cross between the two. It just so happened an artist was listening to the conversation and drew a sketch on a coaster. Before he left he showed the bartender and asked if they would like one? A few weeks later to the towns surprise a special delivery arrived. The Buffaroo now stands pride of place for all to see as you arrive in the sleepy outback town.

Instead of reaching Mt Isa by the intended morning tea break of 10:00 am we finally arrived at 5:00 pm, just in time to call it a day.

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When the FIFO Life Gets Hard.

I’m sure many people believe I live a pretty exciting life these days living a fly in/fly out lifestyle with my husband. In many ways that is true. Flying across the country between Canberra and Darwin and everywhere in between. I do have the opportunity to see and explore many parts of our beautiful country that so many other families never have a chance to experience and I do very much appreciate it. This can only happen now that our boys have grown into such independent young men, two of which are now married thus leaving only our youngest still in the proverbial nest.

Last week we finally managed to have son no 3 come visit us in Darwin for the first time, but as I watched him depart on his return flight to Canberra my heart broke. A lump developed in my throat, my stomach churned and tears swelled in my eyes. He was no sooner here and he was gone, I missed him already. I won’t see him again until we head home for our Christmas break. Seven weeks on in Darwin and only one week home in Canberra at a time after eighteen months of fly in/fly out life is obviously taking its toll on my emotions.

We had a wonderful week together. I was able to show him some of my favourite places around town and introduce him to my new friends. My husband took him on site and gave him a tour of the plant they are building, giving him an insight to what the construction industry is really like. We even took him out to Litchfield National Park for a swim under Florence Falls. It has taken me a lifetime to tick swimming under an outback waterfall off my bucket list and he has now checked it off at age 21! My first opportunity to swim under an outback waterfall was only a couple of years ago when my husband was working in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and we visited Python Pool in Millstream National Park.

Alex and I swimming at Florence Falls, Litchfield National Park. Northern Territory.

Swimming at Python Pool, Millstream National Park, WA

Herein is where my dilemma lies. As a mum, he will always be my responsibility and I feel he still needs me at home while he continues his university studies. I understand it is natural for our children to grow up and fly the coup, but it feels somewhat unnatural when it is me that has left the nest, not him. I know he isn’t ready to leave home just yet and by following my husband I am the one who has left home and him behind. That being said, it is my husband who has for many years done the hard yards of FIFO on his own. Isn’t it about time he had the company and support? So far son no 3 has had son no 2 and his wife living at home with him. That all ends within the next few weeks as they embark on the next exciting chapter in their lives and move into their new home. This is a step forward for them and I am so happy that they have reached this time in their lives but it leaves our youngest at home to study alone and look after our 13 acres. Am I asking too much of him? However I have a Celiac husband to consider. With the long 12 hours of work plus an hours drive each way six days a week, I know without me there to provide his meals his health will suffer as he is too tired to come home and cook of an evening. I am at a crossroads, two men in my life whom I love dearly, both need me. Do I continue the FIFO life and support my husband or stay home more often and support my son?

My heart goes out to all the FIFO workers living week in, week out without their families and vice versa. It is a difficult situation no matter which way you look at it. The construction/mining industry is riddled with broken marriages and torn apart families who do it tough. Some of us survive it, many don’t and many are filled with guilt and depression. It may appear to others that we eat out or entertain a lot, but it is essential to be there to support our fellow FIFO colleagues, wives and partners.

A Dream Thirty Years in the Making.

Earlier this year I entered "Emma the Eager Emu" into a picture book competition only for Indie authors. The closing date for submissions is only days away. Avivia Gittle, the owner of the Gittle List has kindly interviewed me and written a press release regarding my writing journey from my hopeful beginnings as a teenager when I first won the National ANZAC day poetry competition to when I finally achieved my dream of publishing children's books. You can read both my story and all about the Gittle List at the link below.

http://www.prlog.org/12509013-dream-30-years-in-the-making.html

Spreading a Helping Hand

The majority of us go through life lending a helping hand wherever we can, not really planning to try to save the world in any huge way. Most of us don’t have the ability to make a huge difference in the lives of great numbers of people at any one time but in general we do attempt to make a difference in whatever small way we can. Whether that be by volunteering at a hospital, helping the homeless, reading in a classroom on a regular basis, or simply raising our own children to the best of our capabalitiies, we all hopefully make a difference in at least one other persons life during our lifetime.
Although not everyone has the time to volunteer or the ability to provide their services somewhere, even a smile as we pass by a stranger can brighten someone elses day, a kind word to a child or a moment taken to listen to a friend’s problems can change their outlook and make a problem that seemed insurmountable suddenly manageable.
When I began teaching primary school I believed my way of helping society was through increasing literacy skills in our youngest generation of readers. However as the years progressed I hoped to achieve this through writing children’s books and spreading a love of reading with fun and laughter instead.
Imagine my surprise when just last week I discovereed I was also lending a helping hand in a completely different way with my books than I ever expected or planned.
I always enjoy spreading a helping hand by encouraging home reading through my facebook group “Raising Awesome Readers” as well as giving away many of my children’s books to people in need. Earlier in the year I gave a copy of each of my books to a fellow who lives a somewhat difficult family life. He happens to be a “fly in/fly out” dad to three kids, one of which is severly Autistic and another with Aspergers Syndrome. You can imagine the difficulty and frustration not only for him livng away from his family three weeks at a time as well as his wife trying to manage while he is away. So I gave him copies of Gingerbread Aliens, Aliens Shenanigans and Emma the Eager Emu to take home on his R&R to read with the kids. He was so grateful to be given a simple opportunity to read aloud and share a few precious moments with his children.
I hadn’t heard anything from him, nor did I expect to, until I ran into him just last week. I was delighted to learn that not only did his family enjoy all the books very much but his wife, who is a psychologist, found the stories were so good for her children she began taking the books to work.
Her clients are mostly children of parents going through break ups mainly from the rigors of the fly in/fly out life style. She is using my books on a regular basis with the children as they find the characters real and relatable. My stories are spreading a helping hand to help chidren overcome anxieties, fear, tension, sibling rivalry. lack of self-confidence and helping them to learn to face conseequences for their actions all in an entertaining and light-hearted manner. The use of the books have become so successful, she is now lending them to her colleagues.
It is not only nice to know that in my own small way I am making an imapct in childrens lives different to that which I had ever anticipated. It is also rather overwhelming to know that children that need love and understanding are gaining so much more than just a simple smile from reading the pages of my children’s books.
What are you doing in your small way to spread a helping hand in your community?

Frazzled Freya is Coming!

The Australian Outback is a harsh and dry place.
Not the ideal environment for a game or race.
Freya is too frightened to go out and play.
So she hides in the shadows to watch all day.

Her friends are all out in the heat of the sun.
But Freya is too frazzled to join in their fun.
Can Freya face what frightens her so?
Or will she forever hide and say no!

Frazzled Freya is my second pictured book beautifully illustrated by Dianna Budd. If you adored her images of Emma the Eager Emu and her other Australian bird friends, you will equally enjoy the delightful designs Dianna has brought to the pages of my latest story.

While Emma has the tenacity to chase her dreams and try to learn to fly, Freya is a rather timid frill-neck lizard who, once again with the help of her friends, (this time desert dwelling animals) must learn to have courage. Will she come to the realisation that the only thing to fear is fear itself?

What are you afraid of? Come on a journey of self-discovery with Frazzled Freya and see if you can face your inner monsters too!

Copyright Sandra Bennett and Dianna Budd

Great Characters, Amazing Plot, Fabulous Setting!

I try to stay with my own genre, (Children’s Literature) when it comes to writing reviews, however the latest novel I just completed reading begs to be praised. It not only has great characters, an amazing plot but has a fabulous setting, all the prerequisites for an absolutely fantastic read.

I picked up “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty at the airport the other week looking for something to read on the plane. I had no prior knowledge of Liane’s writing so was pleasantly surprised when I found I couldn’t put the book down. I am a sucker for great characters that draw me into their lives. The plot brilliantly revolved around a primary school on the north shore beaches of Sydney and seemed so familiar it could easily have been any beach side country town in NSW. The writing was authentic and drew me in to a climax that I did not see coming, (and I pride myself usually on figuring these things out). I was hooked completely, the full fishing line and sinker reeled me in. If you have ever had anything to do with children and schools you will empathise with the parents in this story. The depth of characters, humour and darkness are all well balanced to make this a gripping tale from start to finish.

The plot hints of a murder occurring during the school trivia night, (a fund raiser for smart boards, essential equipment in any modern school) and we find ourselves trying to figure out not only “who dunnit?” but “who was murdered?” The more we read the more the plot thickens as we become more familiar with each of the key characters, their families and the children of the Kindergarten class. As a former Kindy teacher and mum I found myself quite amused at times with the parental behaviour. Liane has observed their typical characteristics so well it was almost like reading events that could so easily have happened in a school near me (or you).

While at times quite light and humorous, the story also has quite a dark side to it as it tackles issues such as school bullying and violent affairs within and out of marriage. Both subjects are very topical at the moment and Liane has represented the issues in a clear and poignant manner.

On googling the book to find a picture to add I found that the story is being made into a telemovie to be released next year on Foxtel produced by and staring Nicole Kidman and Reece Witherspoon who play the key characters. I really look forward to seeing how they produce this.

I gave this fantastic novel 5 out of 5 stars. I couldn’t put it down. 

Classroom Science Trouble!

National Science Week this week, National Book Week next week, so no other better time than for a school visit and book reading of my chapter book series for early readers. Both Gingerbread Aliens and Alien Shenanigans incorporate plenty of scientific kitchen and classroom experiments that evolve into enough inevitable disaster and trouble to make young readers and their parents laugh along with the mix-up of mischief, mayhem and mishaps.

Tomorrow I head in to do a school reading for a group of year 2 students who are looking forward to not only my reading of a chapter of “Alien Shenanigans” but also watching me erupt a paper mache volcano for them as well.

Alien Shenanigans opens with a classroom full of anticipation as the year 6 students prepare to erupt their volcano experiments.As in all good stories nothing goes to plan and our hero is naturally assumed guilty. My volcano tomorrow will not explode in quite the same astonishing manner, but I hope the students will be suitably impressed!

Later in the story the classroom teacher, Mr Haggardy and the boys next door neighbour, Mrs Witherbottom are inadvertently involved in another somewhat unplanned science experiment. Have you ever seen the reaction when mentos mints are added to a bottle of cola? I’d love to demonstrate this one tomorrow as well, however I don’t think I would ever be invited back to the school if I made a terrible mess in the library. Instead I will settle for showing them via a youtube video clip where other scientists not only get to make all the mess but have a whole lot of fun doing so.

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What is your favourite classroom science experiment?