The Railway

The Abt. Railway in Queenstown was owned by the Mt. Lyell Company in Queenstown.

Back when I lived in Queenstown for 4 years, every Christmas we would have a school picnic and travel on the Steam train in open carriages to Strahan which is on the West Coast of Tasmania also.  It was great fun. The passage of the railway was over huge wooden bridges and with very steep mountains either side and deep drops, an absolute scenic route.
Then many years later the railway was restored as it is today.

Carriage made of Sassafras

  

Dubbil Barril a Station along the way.

In February 2013 the Federal Group who leased the railway many years later announced that it would be terminating its lease of the railway in April 2013. The company said that a downturn in business and a need for investment in infrastructure had caused the railway to no longer be viable. The Tasmanian government responded by estimating that maintaining the railway would cost $15 to $20 million, and that the government alone could not fund it.

Following track rehabilitation work, the railway re-opened between Queenstown and Dubbil Barril on 6 January 2014, while rehabilitation of the section through to Strahan continues.

Policeman's Daughter at Queenstown.

When I was about 11 years of age, my father was transferred to Queenstown on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Queenstown was a mining town with a lot of people, now the mine is closed and there are nearly 2,000 people with much unemployment due to the recent closure of the mine.

My mum, dad and myself lived in Queenstown for 4 years when times were good.  I had such fun attending the Catholic School, it's there I was taught by the nuns how to touch type, began my singing career, my modeling career, became interest in the law, looking after people, and much more.
I remember in the fairly new Town Hall how I danced ballet, Irish dancing, Spanish dancing, also I did tap dancing at concerts. Many people had never seen this done only in the movies - all due to Queenstowns isolation.
Scottish dancing I did at the main intersection of the town when someone important came to the town which was often. I would march behind the pipe band in full costume, and one of the bandsmen would carry my swords if I was going to do the sword dance, as I sometimes did for a change from the highland fling.  Again not many people had seen Scottish dancing.

Below are two photos of the marching team at that time - I am the first person on the right.
I don't have many photos of when I was at Queenstown or any other place for that matter.

Here we were practicing, again I am in the front on the right.

Happy Easter & The thought of being Kidnapped!

 Happy Easter :)

There was nothing like being a Policeman's daughter back when I was an 18 year old.  I had commenced my training the year before at a Private Hospital here in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia and loved every minute of it.
I did my study, plus going on duty. Days off were filled with joy and lots of fun. I had met my future husband not knowing that he would be at the time :)

I often noticed that no matter where I went there were always 2 men that seemed to be near by, but of course I thought at that time it was a coincidence plus really didn't take that much notice and went along my merry way doing what I normally do.
One day there was rather a lot of noise as in shouting, cars screeching their tires, men running everywhere, sirens and so on.  I remember being grabbed by the arms and waist by a man, pulled away from seeing what was going on, and the friend next to me, the same.

So why all the commotion?  I was told later that I was about to be kidnapped and have my face cut/disfigured in many places.  Not good to hear, and thinking how lucky I was to be rescued.
The two men that I always saw were special policemen who had followed me everywhere I went, day and night, they were my bodyguards without me knowing it, to take care of my safety.  Seems there was no way that I was permitted to go out alone or be alone for approximately 6 months until the supposedly kidnappers were caught.

My father being a Policeman of high rank had previously been responsible for several criminals being sent to prison for several years when I was much younger.  These same prisoners were after revenge and I was the target.  Of course someone told my father so hence the 'bodyguards' for me without my knowledge.

Thank goodness this type of  'thing' doesn't happen very often, well as far as I know it doesn't here in our country.