Mick Hill asked if he could move the miners hut on Diamond Hill out on to Matheson's, Glencoe Run.
He, Sam Kennedy and Merv McCabe pulled it out on to Table Hill using Merv's tractor, and they carried out modifications to make a hunting lodge [in the broadest of terms].
Four wheel drive vehicles were needed to gain access and that was provided by Mick's Willys Jeep - an ex army one. At one time we took out a Trekker - made I think by Skoda - to test its capability. We were not too sure about this machine because the rear wheels were turned in at the bottom, the more the load, the better the alignment. We thought it might tip over easily on a sidling. Well the vehicle could surely climb - we gave it a good tryout! Up a steep incline, the only thing to stop us was the tree roots, lifting the front wheels off the ground, thus losing traction. We took it spotlighting through the worked up paddocks.
One Easter we all went out to the hut for a weekend's hunting and adventure. Well most of the adventure turned out to be in the hut or in the vehicles. We never shot any animals, due largely to the flagons of sherry the others took with them! For some reason sherry had become the drink of choice [only for a while] and they took more than enough. I didn't touch the stuff! But it made them sleep in in the mornings and disinclined to walk far. We saw a large number of deer, but they were not prepared to stalk them. So we basked in the sun chatting and telling tales.
Merv had bought a big Dodge 4x4 and tried it out. The area we drove across was soft and once the grass surface was broken, it was easy to become stuck - even in four wheel drive! The Dodge with its big, baggy tyres managed fine but became stuck in a shallow gut because the bumper was jammed against the opposite side bank.
Mick would pull it out with the Jeep!He struck a soft patch and could not get forward motion, so we three pushed - and pushed. With no room for Sam at the back, he leaned his shoulder to the drivers door to push. Mick turned the steering wheel slightly and covered Sam from head to toe with mud in a strip about as wide as the tyre. The mud was almost black and his white eyes were round with shock. His open mouth completed the picture.
It was getting dark so Mick and I decided to go and get the D6 to pull both vehicles to safety. Once through the creek and on the flat [now a worked paddock] Merv came with a torch to show us the way, and Mick chased him! Merv ran from side to side, struggling through gorse and matagouri. Revealing cuts and welts later. All but he were amused!
We pulled the vehicles to safety and parked up for the night.
We had all sorts of food and ate well, mind there was no pork or venison! Later with a cup of tea, Sam brought out the Malt biscuits and I showed how decadent I could be by plastering condensed milk on them. Merv was quick to try this too and as he was about to take a bite, Sam got his revenge buy pushing the condensed milk covered biscuit into his face! What a mess!
Too much sherry seems to make the face a purple shade, and the hangover didn't appear to be too good either.
I left early to drive the Dozer back into the forest the next day and later Mick picked me up, then dropped me off at home. A totally fruitless, but most entertaining weekend!
He, Sam Kennedy and Merv McCabe pulled it out on to Table Hill using Merv's tractor, and they carried out modifications to make a hunting lodge [in the broadest of terms].
Four wheel drive vehicles were needed to gain access and that was provided by Mick's Willys Jeep - an ex army one. At one time we took out a Trekker - made I think by Skoda - to test its capability. We were not too sure about this machine because the rear wheels were turned in at the bottom, the more the load, the better the alignment. We thought it might tip over easily on a sidling. Well the vehicle could surely climb - we gave it a good tryout! Up a steep incline, the only thing to stop us was the tree roots, lifting the front wheels off the ground, thus losing traction. We took it spotlighting through the worked up paddocks.
One Easter we all went out to the hut for a weekend's hunting and adventure. Well most of the adventure turned out to be in the hut or in the vehicles. We never shot any animals, due largely to the flagons of sherry the others took with them! For some reason sherry had become the drink of choice [only for a while] and they took more than enough. I didn't touch the stuff! But it made them sleep in in the mornings and disinclined to walk far. We saw a large number of deer, but they were not prepared to stalk them. So we basked in the sun chatting and telling tales.
Merv had bought a big Dodge 4x4 and tried it out. The area we drove across was soft and once the grass surface was broken, it was easy to become stuck - even in four wheel drive! The Dodge with its big, baggy tyres managed fine but became stuck in a shallow gut because the bumper was jammed against the opposite side bank.
Mick would pull it out with the Jeep!He struck a soft patch and could not get forward motion, so we three pushed - and pushed. With no room for Sam at the back, he leaned his shoulder to the drivers door to push. Mick turned the steering wheel slightly and covered Sam from head to toe with mud in a strip about as wide as the tyre. The mud was almost black and his white eyes were round with shock. His open mouth completed the picture.
It was getting dark so Mick and I decided to go and get the D6 to pull both vehicles to safety. Once through the creek and on the flat [now a worked paddock] Merv came with a torch to show us the way, and Mick chased him! Merv ran from side to side, struggling through gorse and matagouri. Revealing cuts and welts later. All but he were amused!
We pulled the vehicles to safety and parked up for the night.
We had all sorts of food and ate well, mind there was no pork or venison! Later with a cup of tea, Sam brought out the Malt biscuits and I showed how decadent I could be by plastering condensed milk on them. Merv was quick to try this too and as he was about to take a bite, Sam got his revenge buy pushing the condensed milk covered biscuit into his face! What a mess!
Too much sherry seems to make the face a purple shade, and the hangover didn't appear to be too good either.
I left early to drive the Dozer back into the forest the next day and later Mick picked me up, then dropped me off at home. A totally fruitless, but most entertaining weekend!
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