Chapter 5B

Misty removed her stuff from the truck and we stowed it in the Coaster, heading out she gave me directions. "We probably won't make the settlement tonight Tony, drive until we reach Bill's Knob, we can camp there for the night, I've got my swag in the back."

"That's OK, there's plenty of tucker in the cupboard so we won't go hungry. They won't be worried about you if you don't make it back by nightfall?"

"No, when I rang them I said we would overnight at the 'Knob, it's a common camp site for our people." We had been driving for about an hour when the 'roos started to make an appearance, "It's only another two klicks to the 'Knob Tony." Not too soon she pointed it out to me. We pulled into the clearing and as we set up camp a misty rain started.

I rattled the pots and pans and made us a quick meal, nothing inspiring but it filled the void. Dishes all washed and packed away, we sat back under the pull out awning and chatted away, me telling Misty about my Odyssey and Misty about the reserve and her people. It had been a long day and we were both starting to yawn, Misty dug out her swag and was going to sleep outside under the awning.

"Whoa there Misty, you grab my bed and I'll doss down on the floor in your swag, I usually get up during the night for a leak, one of the pleasures of growing old." After a bit of a haggle she accepted the bed option.

Come morning the rain had gone and left a steamy day. After breakfasting we headed off to the settlement, in total the whole trip took four hours but they were four very pleasurable hours, Misty was excellent company and showed a wide knowledge of not only her people but the world in general. We arrived to be greeted by the tribal policeman Colin, who I then found out was Misty's husband, shaking my hand he thanked me for taking care of Misty.

"Didn't you feel a bit worried about a stranger driving your wife and spending the night in the bush with her?" I asked.

"Why? she is more than capable of handling any unwanted attention Tony, she often takes me down when we're funning around. You're lucky you didn't try anything, but then she's a good judge of character and wouldn't have gone with you if she thought you was a bit suss."

The village was an eye opener, after years of hearing about Abo' camps and how they were they were rough, dirty and over run by drunks, this proved to be the exact opposite. I learnt later how even this village had been of the latter but due to several sensible tribal elders they had cleaned up their act. Grog is the downfall of the Aboriginal, there is something in their genetic makeup that makes them susceptible to it's grip. The elders realised this and set a total ban on it. The camp thrived and the inhabitants took great pride in their achievements. The kids were well dressed and attended school, the teacher was proud of the attendance record and the level of interest by the locals. He ran night school for any adult who wanted to learn and he told me that most classes were fully attended.

The other big advantage they had over some of the other settlements was employment, during an extra long drought the people managing a beef station walked off declaring it unsustainable. The elders under advice, approached the government body responsible for the lease making a claim on it. They suggested it would make the government of the day look good in settling the aborigines, something that they were under pressure from the anti racist lobby. The native stockmen were part of the land and they knew how to work with it instead of against it like the white cattle men. They now had a fully working station and a contract to supply beef to overseas markets through an export company; this company jealously guarded the aboriginal project.

As a visitor I drew a fair bit of attention, many people talked to me and asked about my life, I told them about my Odyssey and how I was enjoying just looking around our great country. "Him going walkabout." one fella laughed. That's exactly what the nomadic tribes did before the white man impose himself on them.

Three days later, Misty got a call from Sam to come and pick her truck up, it was back on the road. Bidding farewell to the newly made friends, we embarked on our return journey. We made the trip without the need to stop at Bill's Knob and we arrived in Charlton in time for Misty to make it back home. She thanked me for helping her out and for being a gentleman.

I'd been on the road for about six months when I pulled into a Safeway shopping centre. Getting out of the Coaster I notice a lady struggling to help a man out of their ute and into a wheelchair. Rushing over to give assistance I couldn't help but notice the signage on the ute door, 'R&J Hartley Engineering'. Once we had the gentleman in the chair I mentioned the sign.

"Yeah, we own an engineering company, but not for much longer I'm afraid." said the woman.

I introduced myself and told them I had an engineering background, "Would you care to join me for a cup of coffee" I asked. They agreed although the man said it would have to be a weak one for him. The R and J in the Hartley Engineering was Ray and Jane, Ray had suffered a stroke several months earlier and Jane had the unenviable task of trying to run the business and take care of Ray.