MILDURA JOURNAL 20th SEPTEMBER 2020

Yesterday we took a drive out to Merbein, which is a small town just north of Mildura. It’s part, what is informally called the “fruit-bowl”, the growing region roughly made of the Sunraysia irrigation district fed by the Darling And Murray Rivers.

It produces grapes, citrus, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus and pistachios 

It’s also home of the Mildara Winery.

Many many years ago, when we first moved to Mildura, Ed got a job at Fishers Supermarket, which is the local Independent Grocers (IGA)

He started in Mildura, but was also moved to the Merbein store, where the first Fishers supermarket began.

 

It was a huge store back then when Ed worked there, supermarket and variety store all in one. 

Ed and I were remembering all this as we had not been back to Merbein for at least 28 years......and it’s memories, apart from Ed working there, was that this shop used to sell guns and ammunition......and as I write this.....it’s strange to think that Ed bought his first and last gun there! 

It’s just unthinkable now!

Mr Fisher, the boss, used to take all the blokes on a camping trip, for the weekend, with his boat, and they all used to ski and fish on the river there, and shoot the empty beer cans that were thrown in the river!

(I have to add here that they did go out in the boat and retrieve all those shot cans) 

They all had a good weekend.....what they remembered of it!🤪🤪 🍻🍻🍺

Another memory was......Ed and a couple of his co-workers, used to go out Kangaroo shooting. 

Mildura had many many wheat farmers in the area ....and back in the day, kangaroos were a menace to their crops, so they were encouraged to shoot them. 

So they went out one night, but didn’t come home!

I was frantic! There were no mobile phones then...and by morning i just knew something had happened as they were all suppose to front up to work at the supermarket that day. 

A search party was sent out and they were found very wet, cold and muddy in a car that had run out of petrol !!  All hanging out for a fag, a coffee and something to eat......and a long hot shower! 

Needless to say he did not go out at night again! 

The boss gave them the day off, he had a laugh about it!

We found a lookout in Merbein overlooking that River where those boozy days of beer can shooting was done.....and many years on....Ed Now looks a picture in his visor.....🤣🤣

There was a storm brewing in the distance..it was a very humid day.

Lots of pretty wattle along  the walking tracks. 

And this is what the locals call a “Mallee Root“

It’s an extremely hard, woody root of a Mallee Tree - a dwarf eucalypt  

that is often used as firewood. 

They are great when you go camping or even if you had an open fire in your house as the burn so well. 

It was a great day out..

This is a photo of some of our family. 

Gerry....on the left is Ed’s younger brother, and the 3 boys are his sons. 

Next to Gerry is Brendon, then there’s Matthew ( who’s birthday was today) and then there’s Kristopher.

Mathew is married to Jess and they have twin girls. Lillian & Mirabella. I have no idea which is which yet 🤔🤔

Brendan lives in Melbourne and we haven’t seen him yet as he’s in lockdown  on strict restrictions with the CV. 

Kristopher is engaged to Grace  ( Iwill need to take more photos) 

So that’s part of the family tree.

Stay safe everyone. XXXXX❤️❤️❤️🦋🦋🦋🌈🌈