I have two replies to this request. They make interesting reading and I trust that I will get some more replies soon.
I have memories from the following members. Thanks to them.
(Select member to view)
Roger Zeuner
Bob O'Brien
Gordon Jacob
Ron and Pauline Hope
Looking back over 50 years is not difficult but where
have all the years gone. My mind thinks
I am still 20 but my body feels 67.
Gloria and I are currently enjoying retirement which we have been doing
for the past 12 years here at Underdale.
We look after the grandkids, play croquet and Bridge and I volunteer as
a Justice of the Peace. We have two adult boys with their own families and we
are blessed with four grandsons and a granddaughter who adore their grandma and
grandpa.
During that 50 years many things have occurred and they
are mainly highlights.
After graduating I like most others worked Region G. I was there for about 12 months and during
this time we got married, 2 May 1970 and had our first son, Andrew, before
transferring to Whyalla where we remained for about 4 years. Leaving Whyalla I relieved in the Vice Squad
for a period and then to the Elizabeth CIB for the next 6 years. Our second son Stuart was born. I then went to Major Crime for another 6 years
and then to the Education Wing. I was
promoted to Inspector and was placed in charge of the Police JIS computer
system to manage the development and implementation throughout the State. Like most new things many did not like this
new computerization but now it is second nature to most officers and I am proud
to have contributed to this within SAPOL. During this period when our kids were
growing up we purchased and built a holiday house on the river at Bow
Hill. We had a ski boat and became
excellent skiers. I also trained and
raced several greyhounds during this time. (A pity they were not fast but it
was great fun and an experience.)
I was O/C of Norwood
and Unley Divisions for a number of years and then promoted to Superintendant
and in charge of the Holden Hill LSA.
After a couple of years I transferred to O/C Traffic Support Branch and
you can blame me for promoting "Speed Cameras Save Lives". I had had enough in 2004 when I was 55 years
of age and called it quits.
 |
| Foxfield Gardens |
We had a tree change in about 1992 when we sold our house
that we built at Para Vista and moved to a beautiful spot in the Adelaide Hills. We purchased a property called
"Foxfield" at One Tree Hill.
It was 30 acres with a large homestead.
The property was fenced with 3 metre deer fencing and so we became
weekend farmers. We had horses, ponies,
cows, deer, emus, kangaroos and ostriches.
We planted and grew a flower garden and hedge maze over about 4 acres of
the property and started a small tourist venture showing school children and
senior citizens over the property. Itwas hard work
but very satisfying. We were inaugural
members of both the Emu and Ostrich Associations which kept us busy and I aggisted
Ostrich on the property. When Ostrich's
were at their premium price we had over a million dollars worth of live stock
on the property. I also started a
business hatching and rearing Ostrich and Emu and a part of the tour was
visiting the incubation shed where I had a huge incubator installed. I was part owner of several racehorses during
this period, however, they were slow as well, no fortune won.
In 2005 we purchased a caravan and sold
"foxfield". We travelled
around Australia
seeing everything we could on the bitumen for the next two years and then we
built a house at Underdale where we have resided for the past 8 years. We have travelled extensively overseas and we
have been to most places once and twice to some places that we liked, including
driving through America.
There are many and varied
memories of our three years at the Fort.
The mates that you made and kept close for many years after finishing
and still do. The indoctrination into
the ten man huts during the first phase and then the two man huts. Getting use to the food, best meal to look
forward to was fish every Friday which led into leaving the fort for the
weekend and resuming your other life. Ma
Pollick was in charge of the kitchen and I can remember how we used to line up
outside of the old meal room in Phase order to eat. Ernie Kirk who taught us all to touch type,
even though it was not without some pain, but it was a skill that we could use
throughout our lives. The many food runs
after hours for hungry mates and also the trips away shooting and
drinking. Great memories and there are
plenty more.
However,
I often think of the members of the Course who have been gathered. Bob Orford who we only knew for a short
period, Graham Coad, Gary Smith and Peter Keough taken too soon, of course Ken
Heneker. Just recently Trevor Lehmann,
who I had contacted recently and who was looking forwarded to the reunion. They rest in peace but are not forgotten by
Course 18 members.
Course 18
I see Harry Hills, Jeff
Applebee, Dave Cullinan and John Pain a couple times a year. It is great to see
the guys and I have been encouraging them to bring their ladies along, as well.
Naturally, we talk about old times. It is also interesting to talk about life
after policing.
I have strong memories of ‘Ma’
Pollet’s (is that the correct spelling?)
meatballs being served in the old kitchen in the Admin Building. I think Harry
Hills, in disgust, threw one across the room one day – or was that someone else?
I am trying to find a photo of Ted Mildenhall, Barry Klaer, Ron Hope
and Dave Cullinan (?) travelling to Mount Gambier on a shooting trip. The photo
showed good memories and one poor dead rabbit!
Trevor Lehmann and I worked together at Elizabeth CIB and lived in
adjoining apartments when both of us were between marriages. Trevor’s son, Boof Lehmann (Australian
Cricket Coach), and my daughter, Jodie, had great fun putting cigarette ash
down the back of Jude’s dress at the Kariwara Hotel at Elizabeth. My wife,
Jude, has just come on the scene. Later, Jude organised a surprise birthday
party and Trevor spiked my beer with vodka at the Central Districts Football
Club prior to the party. The surprise was on Jude! Trevor asked Jude at the
party ‘Are you dark? Are you dark?’ with a half-smile on his face.
I later lived with Jeff Applebee in a house at Para Hills West. We had
a party and Gary Smith was in town. He saw our useless I was so he prepared
supper for everyone and later provided the entertainment with his guitar. Gary
was a great guy.
I admire what Harry Hills achieved in policing and outside of policing.
Harry fought for his rights after he lost the use of his arm in the motor bike
accident. He fought to stay in the CIB and had to demonstrate his ability to
disassemble one of the useless Browning pistols with one hand. Later, he justly fought for his rights when
the system would not promote him to Inspector. Thankfully, Hank Ramm was a
supporter. Good on you, Harry – a good police officer and lawyer.
Towards the end, I was in charge of Holden Hill CIB and Roger Zeuner
was my boss as Holden Hill’s first Local Service Area (LSA) Commander. He did a
great job setting up the LSA and he is just as organized putting the re-union
and website together. Ron Hope – well done for nominating Roger!
Career and other Memories
Independence Day
I left policing in 1999 on 4 July
– Independence Day! I was managing the
Commissioner’s Office and my sponsor, Deputy Commissioner Pat Hurley had
retired several years before. It is no secret that I had a falling out with the
new Commissioner, Mal Hyde, but that is not the reason that I left SAPOL.
Simply, I had enough of policing
and I wanted to finish my university studies, which I started after TAFE
studies for non-commissioned rank. I spent 20 years at uni and during the last
seven years of study, I was in a PhD program at UniSA. I was looking at the performance of police as
peacekeepers, concentrating on what Australian police did in Cyprus over 30
years. My study was falling behind and I knew that I would not finish my
doctorate if I stayed in policing.
Jude, my second wife, was a
school teacher and meeting Jude has been the best thing that has happened to me
(same feelings as Gordon Jacob). Jude
continued to work while I went full time at uni. I graduated in 2002.
Finishing Uni
After graduating, I was doing
some lecturing when I obtained a contract from Harper Collins to write a book
about the Family Murders. A homosexual,
named von Einem, killed Richard Kelvin, who was the son
of our local television newsreader.
Trevor Kipling arrested von Einem and I was his partner. The book is
called Young Blood, the story of Family
Murders. It was nominated for best true crime at the Melbourne’s Writers
Festival. I was thrilled with the nomination.
Policing
I served in uniform (patrols and
traffic), Emergency Operations Group, CIB and then management. When
commissioned, I spent time in communications and got a job in communications
planning. It had a big budget ($10 million per annum), engineers and technical
staff and not many police officers. We produced a State wide communication
plan, continued to roll out radio towers across the State and I started to
realise that there was more to life than policing.
From communications, I went to
the Commissioner’s office firstly as Staff Officer, then Ministerial Liaison
Officer and finally, Officer in Charge.
Other Work
Jude and I had a small business
when I was in policing. It was in event management. After university, I morphed
the business in water trading, which I learned about from a colleague at
university. His PhD was about changes to water legislation in Australia. Jude
and I had the water trading business for 11 years before we retired. Like all
small businesses, we had our good years and our average years. In one eighteen
month period, I joined another company and bought water licences valued at $80
million for an American investment company. Policing was interesting but water
was just as interesting!
Family
My son, Paul, was born while I
was at the Academy and went with my first wife to Sydney. He is now a Minister
with his own Rectory near Abbotsford. We have three grandsons (two are twins)
and a granddaughter. All are in high school.
My father, Bill O’Brien, was a
Senior Sergeant in SAPOL and I wanted to be like Dad. Our daughter, Jodie, also
joined over 20 years ago. She is a Brevet Sergeant in Major Crime and has just
arrested her second murderer. Dad is very proud!
GORDON JACOB
Hi all,
Unfortunately I will be unable to attend the reunion. It doesn’t seem
like 50 years since I first met most of you as the course started in September
1966.
I started in March 1966 and spent 6 months in the reserve squad (as did a
few of you) whilst waiting to reach 17.
The three years at the academy have mixed memories for me but the one
thing I do remember is the comradeship I enjoyed with all the members of course
18.
After leaving the academy I spent 11 months on the watch before
transferring to Port Augusta. 3 months there then a move further north to
become part of the Oodnadatta relief team. I relieved at Marree, Leigh Creek,
Hawker, Quorn and Booleroo Centre over the next 2 and half years as OIC or
second man.
In 1973 I transferred back to Port Augusta and then married Barbara my
wife for the past 43 years and many more ahead (health permitting).
I was posted to Port Wakefield for 9 months before heading north again as
OIC of Kingoonya (one man station).
In 1976 I decided my tenure as a Police Office was over so I resigned.
Many reasons.
Barbara was a nurse from Bellingen NSW and with our first child (1 at the
time) we moved to Bellingen to build and operate a general store. Ex-cop and ex
nurse no retail background a bit of a gamble.
After selling the business after a successful time we stayed in Bellingen
and after having a second child and some bout of illness, in 1984 I applied for
a position as store manager at the Amata Aboriginal Community (Pitjantjatjara
lands an area I had patrolled many times whilst at Oodnadatta) Another new
experience. From there to Alice Springs working as a stores adviser for 50
aboriginal stores within Central Australia. Great experience travelling over
most of NT top part of SA and western side of WA.
Time for a change again and with our kids nearing high school back to
Bellingen and another business stint. 9 years later we sold and planned a more
relaxed life after 7 days a week 14 plus hours a day. Nothing goes to plan as I
am sure you all know and heart problems changed all for me with bypass surgery.
I did a bit of store managing in Bellingen before the desert called
again. I fell in love with the arid north whilst at Oodnadatta and the
indigenous people during my time in the outback in the 80’s so I went back to
the Ngaanjatjarra lands (western WA) as a community adviser (administrator and
anything else that need doing including power station engineer, water (bores)
controller, nurse aid, airstrip overseer etc.) really good experience and a
huge learning curve as the communities were 600 km from nearest communities ( 5
hours for the flying doctor to reach if you needed medical help).
Great life although Barbara wouldn’t (can’t blame her) join me. 5 years
of this and it was time to return home. I finished my working life as manager
of the local neighbourhood centre dealing with people in need of support
financial, life support etc.)
I retired 18 months ago and live in Bellingen with Barbara. Kids left
home (son living in USA and daughter on Gold Coast) 4 grandkids and enjoying
life.
I found the training I received at Fort Largs has assisted me all through
my life.
I wish I could be there but so be it I can’t.
It is sad that a few have passed on. I was interested to see all that
made a full career of the force and those that made commissioned ranks,
congratulations. Those that left as I did I hope your life has been as full and
rewarding as has mine.
I was fortunate to meet a beautiful woman and have two great kids.
I would be interested in photos of you all and to hear how the reunion
goes.
I have attached a photo of Barbara and I enjoying a game of AFL. (I do
miss going to the AFL and of course the mighty Glenelg side in SANFL.
If you are over this way, mid north coast of NSW, we have a spare room so
loved to see you.
46 Wheatley Street, Bellingen NSW
0488034333
Regards
Gordon Jacob
Ron Hope
Commenced 4 January, 1966 at Fort Largs. There were a couple of things that stuck
out that first day :-
· We had to march around the parade ground and I found that I was the only
one in step !
· I met Sgt Kirk as he lent over his half door and called me over. I was then
informed that my hair was too long and to get it cut and report back to him the
next day. I had just had a haircut over the weekend and so I had to rush to
Port Adelaide that evening to find a barber to again get it cut.
After a fortnight we were assigned various task for the next 9 months until the
course started. I had the following stints :-
· Radio Communications – Switch board duties – pulling plugs and placing in
the holes to connect people, got so confused one day that I just pulled them
all out. Lol Sometimes got it wrong. Also scribe to the radio operator. Was
working there when the Beaumonts went missing. Also helped re country
radio scheduled calls. Commissioner McKenna used to call in there late at
night and sit down with the staff.
· Equipment Office – had to fill requests from stations for their stationery
supplies. Worked out very early that all in the office were public servants and
had lunch at 1-2pm. Being smarter than the public servants I had lunch at
12.30 for my 30 minutes. So in effect I had 1 ½ hour lunch. Also Ian Verrier
(played for West Adelaide) was working as cadet nearby and we found a table
tennis table somewhere in the building and we would meet there and play
over lunch.
· Radar in Thebarton Barracks – Whist there got my licence from George
Pongraz (didn’t have to pay for it)
Then back to Fort Largs in Sept commence Course 18. Some of the things that
stand out are :-
· Meeting my future wife Pauline at Wonderland ballroom.
· Organizing tickets for the wrestling at Channel 10 and a group from the
course with partners going there. This was also my first date with Pauline
(couldn’t get any more romantic than that fellas???) and YES she has put up
with me for the past 46 years and sends her regards to everyone and regrets
that she couldn’t be here today.)
· Going with other cadets for boys weekend away at Woods Point, near Murray
Bridge organized by Geoff Applebee. Hitting the grog for the first time and
having a massive hangover.
· Trips to Port MacDonnell with Craig Drogemuller and staying at the back cells
of the Police Station where his father used to be officer in charge.
· Roo shooting near the Murray with fellow cadets, I think Dave Cullinan and
Roger Zeuner were amongst the group.
· Doing trip to South East and Western Victoria at Dergholm with Peter Keogh,
Craig, Peter Williams, Mark Sexton and Ted Mildenhall. Doing all the boys
things like shooting kangaroos and getting on the piss.
· Going awol from the Fort with Peter Keough in his Morris Minor and I think
there may have been one or two others and having accident at Willunga Hill
and then limping back to the Fort before breakfast.
· Again with Peter going to Dergholm in Western Victoria and having a head on
crash on sweeping bend where other driver had sun in his eyes and cut the
corner. Wrote off the car but we were both OK.
After Academy went to the following :
· Reg G patrols
· Darlington and Christies Beach
· Darlington CIB
· Nurioopta CIB
· Mt Gambier CIB – promoted to Detective Sergeant
· Port Lincoln CIB
· 1995 Retired
Since Retirement
· Moved into over 50’s resort at Kingscliff – Just south of Gold Coast in
Northern NSW. Have been snooker and billiard champion for about 10 years
on full sized table. ( Some of my competitors have been in their 90’s but it is
easy to beat them when you hide their white stick.)
· Security work in shopping centre for a short time
· Driver for Thrifty rent a cars
· 7 years as a Tourist Coach driver doing day tours and commentary for trips to
Mount Tamborine and O’Reillys resort in hinterland. (once a bullshit artist
always a bullshit artist)
· Presently driving an airport shuttle bus Byron Bay to Brisbane for 2 days a
week.
· 2 or 3 times a year do work for Destination NSW when they have overseas
travel agents that come here to do a tour Gold Coast to Sydney and see
attractions on the way. Usually 5-6 days tour – Like a holiday for me and I get
paid for it. How good is that.
· Still play golf – Member of Coolangatta Tweed Heads GC which has 2
championship courses. Play off 13 handicap and now have a shared
motorized buggy. 2 Highlights – Obtained handicap of 8 at Mt Gambier Golf
Club and a hole in one in Sept 2008 at Coolangatta Tweed Heads GC River
course on hole 17th (180 metres)
· Do bus trips for Veteran Golfers either 1 or 2 days overnight within 200 km of
Gold Coast.
There are a couple of attachments of speeches from my retirement function. One is
from my fellow workmate at the time Detective George Fenwick and the other from
the present Association Secretary Tom Scheffler who I had the pleasure to work with
at Port Lincoln CIB for about 7 years. It was handy that he was 6 ft13 but a gentle
giant and I really enjoyed the time with him. He gave me some advice when I first
went there and that was the person who I replaced talked about getting a 4WD and
only got it in the last few months there. I bought one more or less straight away along
with a boat and caravan, and as you can imagine there are a lot of “boatie” stories
that I could tell you.
Looking forward to catching up with everyone in September.
‘Ron Hope
Commenced 4 January, 1966 at Fort Largs. There were a couple of things that stuck
out that first day :-
· We had to march around the parade ground and I found that I was the only
one in step !
· I met Sgt Kirk as he lent over his half door and called me over. I was then
informed that my hair was too long and to get it cut and report back to him the
next day. I had just had a haircut over the weekend and so I had to rush to
Port Adelaide that evening to find a barber to again get it cut.
After a fortnight we were assigned various task for the next 9 months until the
course started. I had the following stints :-
· Radio Communications – Switch board duties – pulling plugs and placing in
the holes to connect people, got so confused one day that I just pulled them
all out. Lol Sometimes got it wrong. Also scribe to the radio operator. Was
working there when the Beaumonts went missing. Also helped re country
radio scheduled calls. Commissioner McKenna used to call in there late at
night and sit down with the staff.
· Equipment Office – had to fill requests from stations for their stationery
supplies. Worked out very early that all in the office were public servants and
had lunch at 1-2pm. Being smarter than the public servants I had lunch at
12.30 for my 30 minutes. So in effect I had 1 ½ hour lunch. Also Ian Verrier
(played for West Adelaide) was working as cadet nearby and we found a table
tennis table somewhere in the building and we would meet there and play
over lunch.
· Radar in Thebarton Barracks – Whist there got my licence from George
Pongraz (didn’t have to pay for it)
Then back to Fort Largs in Sept commence Course 18. Some of the things that
stand out are :-
· Meeting my future wife Pauline at Wonderland ballroom.
· Organizing tickets for the wrestling at Channel 10 and a group from the
course with partners going there. This was also my first date with Pauline
(couldn’t get any more romantic than that fellas???) and YES she has put up
with me for the past 46 years and sends her regards to everyone and regrets
that she couldn’t be here today.)
· Going with other cadets for boys weekend away at Woods Point, near Murray
Bridge organized by Geoff Applebee. Hitting the grog for the first time and
having a massive hangover.
· Trips to Port MacDonnell with Craig Drogemuller and staying at the back cells
of the Police Station where his father used to be officer in charge.
· Roo shooting near the Murray with fellow cadets, I think Dave Cullinan and
Roger Zeuner were amongst the group.
· Doing trip to South East and Western Victoria at Dergholm with Peter Keogh,
Craig, Peter Williams, Mark Sexton and Ted Mildenhall. Doing all the boys
things like shooting kangaroos and getting on the piss.
· Going awol from the Fort with Peter Keough in his Morris Minor and I think
there may have been one or two others and having accident at Willunga Hill
and then limping back to the Fort before breakfast.
· Again with Peter going to Dergholm in Western Victoria and having a head on
crash on sweeping bend where other driver had sun in his eyes and cut the
corner. Wrote off the car but we were both OK.
After Academy went to the following :
· Reg G patrols
· Darlington and Christies Beach
· Darlington CIB
· Nurioopta CIB
· Mt Gambier CIB – promoted to Detective Sergeant
· Port Lincoln CIB
· 1995 Retired
Since Retirement
· Moved into over 50’s resort at Kingscliff – Just south of Gold Coast in
Northern NSW. Have been snooker and billiard champion for about 10 years
on full sized table. ( Some of my competitors have been in their 90’s but it is
easy to beat them when you hide their white stick.)
· Security work in shopping centre for a short time
· Driver for Thrifty rent a cars
· 7 years as a Tourist Coach driver doing day tours and commentary for trips to
Mount Tamborine and O’Reillys resort in hinterland. (once a bullshit artist
always a bullshit artist)
· Presently driving an airport shuttle bus Byron Bay to Brisbane for 2 days a
week.
· 2 or 3 times a year do work for Destination NSW when they have overseas
travel agents that come here to do a tour Gold Coast to Sydney and see
attractions on the way. Usually 5-6 days tour – Like a holiday for me and I get
paid for it. How good is that.
· Still play golf – Member of Coolangatta Tweed Heads GC which has 2
championship courses. Play off 13 handicap and now have a shared
motorized buggy. 2 Highlights – Obtained handicap of 8 at Mt Gambier Golf
Club and a hole in one in Sept 2008 at Coolangatta Tweed Heads GC River
course on hole 17th (180 metres)
· Do bus trips for Veteran Golfers either 1 or 2 days overnight within 200 km of
Gold Coast.
There are a couple of attachments of speeches from my retirement function. One is
from my fellow workmate at the time Detective George Fenwick and the other from
the present Association Secretary Tom Scheffler who I had the pleasure to work with
at Port Lincoln CIB for about 7 years. It was handy that he was 6 ft13 but a gentle
giant and I really enjoyed the time with him. He gave me some advice when I first
went there and that was the person who I replaced talked about getting a 4WD and
only got it in the last few months there. I bought one more or less straight away along
with a boat and caravan, and as you can imagine there are a lot of “boatie” stories
that I could tell you.
Looking forward to catching up with everyone in September.
‘Ron Hope
MY LIFE WITH RON HOPE (aka BIG EARS)!!! (Pauline Hope)
I remember my first meeting with Ron Hope at the Wonderland Ballroom on
November l9th l966, also remember going home that night and telling my
mother that I had met a “nice boy” who was a Police Cadet and he barracked
for Glenelg!!! So before even meeting him, she took an instant like to him.
From that day onwards my life was to change forever. During the next few
years we shared many events which were to become fond memories. the
parties at Kyeema Avenue, Cumberland Park (Rons home) with the fellow
members of course l8, the weekly footy matches following the then “bottom
side Glenelg” each week, and of course on 8th August l970 our marriage.
We bought our first home in l972 at Morphett Vale where we stayed for l2 years
before the lure of country life enticed us to Angaston in the Barossa Valley,
where Ron was stationed at Nuriootpa. I remember coming home when I saw
the home at Angaston and cried for 2 days and said I wasn’t going.!!! By l984
our family included 2 sons Steven (now 38) and Darren (now 34) .
But everything changed when we had a “taste” of the country life. I quickly
joined the tennis club at Angaston, and then shortly after was “recruited” by
Nuriootpa where I played 3 times a week with the youngest of the boys
“tagging along”, playing with the other children and generally this was a great
social atmosphere. Also we made a lot of friends – and a few are still
“facebook” friends to this day...
After 5 eventful and enjoyable years the opportunity came for a promotion for
Ron to Det/Sgt. At Mt. Gambier, once again I said I wasn’t going to now leave
the Barossa Valley, but once again, another 7 enjoyable years, meeting many
people who have become “lifelong” friends. Memories of sitting in the car at
the weekends watching the boys play football with the heater on and
windscreen wipers going on full!!! But oh what fun it was.
As time marched on a position came up at Port Lincoln CIB – I felt like I was
going “home” as I had a lot of family at Port Lincoln and we settled into that
life beautifully.... Within a few months we had acquired a 4WD, a boat and a
caravan and spent many a holiday at Coffin Bay. Fishing was a shared hobby
and Ron would beg to differ but I still hold the “Hope record” of the most
number of king George whiting caught in the one day... (some of the fish we
had to s t r e t c h to make sure they were the legal limit of 30cm. We had a
great social life in Lincoln which included tennis, golf, table tennis, and of
course our beloved fishing.... so much so that after approx. 7 years we bought
our own home and intended to retire there, but when that time finally came
decided that we couldn’t fish “everyday” because of the weather which led us
to our life in Kingscliff (on the most southern tip of the Gold Coast but in New
South Wales) - We have now been here l2 years and again getting “itchy feet”
November l9th l966, also remember going home that night and telling my
mother that I had met a “nice boy” who was a Police Cadet and he barracked
for Glenelg!!! So before even meeting him, she took an instant like to him.
From that day onwards my life was to change forever. During the next few
years we shared many events which were to become fond memories. the
parties at Kyeema Avenue, Cumberland Park (Rons home) with the fellow
members of course l8, the weekly footy matches following the then “bottom
side Glenelg” each week, and of course on 8th August l970 our marriage.
We bought our first home in l972 at Morphett Vale where we stayed for l2 years
before the lure of country life enticed us to Angaston in the Barossa Valley,
where Ron was stationed at Nuriootpa. I remember coming home when I saw
the home at Angaston and cried for 2 days and said I wasn’t going.!!! By l984
our family included 2 sons Steven (now 38) and Darren (now 34) .
But everything changed when we had a “taste” of the country life. I quickly
joined the tennis club at Angaston, and then shortly after was “recruited” by
Nuriootpa where I played 3 times a week with the youngest of the boys
“tagging along”, playing with the other children and generally this was a great
social atmosphere. Also we made a lot of friends – and a few are still
“facebook” friends to this day...
After 5 eventful and enjoyable years the opportunity came for a promotion for
Ron to Det/Sgt. At Mt. Gambier, once again I said I wasn’t going to now leave
the Barossa Valley, but once again, another 7 enjoyable years, meeting many
people who have become “lifelong” friends. Memories of sitting in the car at
the weekends watching the boys play football with the heater on and
windscreen wipers going on full!!! But oh what fun it was.
As time marched on a position came up at Port Lincoln CIB – I felt like I was
going “home” as I had a lot of family at Port Lincoln and we settled into that
life beautifully.... Within a few months we had acquired a 4WD, a boat and a
caravan and spent many a holiday at Coffin Bay. Fishing was a shared hobby
and Ron would beg to differ but I still hold the “Hope record” of the most
number of king George whiting caught in the one day... (some of the fish we
had to s t r e t c h to make sure they were the legal limit of 30cm. We had a
great social life in Lincoln which included tennis, golf, table tennis, and of
course our beloved fishing.... so much so that after approx. 7 years we bought
our own home and intended to retire there, but when that time finally came
decided that we couldn’t fish “everyday” because of the weather which led us
to our life in Kingscliff (on the most southern tip of the Gold Coast but in New
South Wales) - We have now been here l2 years and again getting “itchy feet”
so where we will end up “who knows” – but its been a “great ride” and when I
look back have enjoyed it all.
Have a great re-union and best wishes to you all.
look back have enjoyed it all.
Have a great re-union and best wishes to you all.
Pauline Hope
