Back of Beyond

If you enjoy non-fi ction especially tales from outback Australia then this is one to reach for. “One woman’s remarkable story of love, adventure, disasters and wonderful times in the Gulf Country, Far North Queensland.” Jenny was raised in the Riverina region of New South Wales and after training as a nurse at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, she had plans to travel overseas with nursing friends for a year. Her well organised life was turned upside down in the late 60s when she met up with the dashing Rick from affl uent North Shore Sydney at the local ‘Batchelor and Spinster Ball’. After a year of travel, Jenny joined Rick who had organised a shared lease and management role for the property called McAllister in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Far North Queensland. The nearest ‘town’ was Mt Isa 450 kilometres away. This was their home with their two sons for eighteen years. The Shed was their fi rst home complete with long drop toilet and cooking was via a 44 gallon drum sitting on three legs beside a stack of wood and an axe. Power was from a fi ckle 32volt generator – luxuries were non-existent. These were testing times but showed Rick that Jenny was capable of surviving the rigours of outback life. Together with their stock horses, Rick and Jenny eventually cultivated their cattle station taking it from strength to strength. Though it was far from the rural life Jenny knew, she persisted and found a personal resolve. They took McAllister from shed to hut, to basic house to fi nally a seven bedroom home with fl ourishing fruit trees, vegie gardens, two large dams with effi cient water fl ow and a successful operation. A fascinating story refl ecting the pioneering spirit we admire as Kiwis too.