The Odessy Has Begun

Well the odyssey has begun! And here was me thinking it would be simple! A glamorous retirement exercise – yeh right!

First stop was Jeparit. I was keen to go there as I finished a biography on Sir Robert Menzies and this was his birthplace and I had never been there before AND google maps told me that it was only 4.5 hours away – too easy! Right of course towing a van is slower – add an hour – no add 2!

The journey was hot – a 38 degree day and of course Nigel (a 17 year old dog) never one to be discreet in letting his feelings be known was telling me it was damn hot. I took to spraying him with a water spritzer bottle that I had in my painting kit, and he was so orgasmic in his response to it I almost felt I had to look away (it was almost disgusting!).

It was so hot the landscape was still. Midsummer the wheat crops had been harvested and the ‘wide brown land’ stood silent baking in the sun. Standing still praying that an errant lightning strike or match for that matter would not manifest for it radiated the possibility of a conflagration in the hot hot sun.

The wildlife being far more sensible than Nigel and I were nowhere to be seen waiting for the cool of the evening.

Arriving at Jeparit I almost fell out of the car after peeling myself off the car seat. I was setting up the caravan and found that I was parked next to a fellow who considered himself an expert on all things caravans and in his manner I felt decidedly inadequate but through my tiredness I was determined to learn from him for even the most bellicose will have a shred of wisdom – and he did. I am on a steep learning curve, and it got steeper that night!

I had determined to stay 3 nights in Jeparit for getting used to a caravan even for a little lady takes time and I wanted to put things like clothes in cupboards etc.

Jeparit is a tired little town – its former elegance is there in the tiled, verandaed shop fronts with delegate lead lighting above the shop windows, but these are now dusty, and some are broken and they are all empty – poverty is in the landscape. There is indeed a Robert Menzies Park which I duly wanded through giving tiny vignettes of what in anyone’s estimation is a remarkable life. I also wanted to see the monument that was dedicated to him on his retirement as prime minister in 1966. It was nowhere to be found in the main street, I found it down a side street. It is a giant phallic symbol! Disappointed was my first response! I walked up to it and on the screed on the side it told me that it was to symbolise ‘man’s’ rise to the top – well I suppose it did that – it is a giant 20-foot pole literally with a knob on top. I have to wonder if the great man himself liked it.

I visited the museum and learned about a woman by name of Mrs. O’Sullivan who in 1884 was held up by the bushranger Ben Hall, she placated him by cooking him breakfast and he went on her way – leaving her and her property unharmed and inexplicably I also learned that Leonardo De Vinci developed the ‘staggered spoke hub’ for wagon wheels! And then I visited the cemetery and was left with the feeling that the Menzies may have felt slightly out of place in Jeparit for the names Schultz, Obst, Hahn, Lienholm, etc featured prominently. The German influence was everywhere and very few Anglo-Saxon names listed on the headstones!

People watching was a nice past time I do love listening to the banter of others. I heard a lady shout out ‘didja get the harvest in’ and this very short nuggety farmer peered over the roof of his vehicle and laconically said ‘yeh all in’ and they went on their way! It is a simple, hardworking way of life here.

The caravan park was on the banks of the Wimmera River, and I must confess to jumping into it with no shyness at all to escape the heat, I even dragged Nigel in with me much to his chagrin. It is a beautiful river and with all of the rain it was flowing well and clean, I sat on the banks and watched the sunset which in the heat concentrated into a rich amber over the river radiating out to the gentlest of apricots and then, of course, the mozzie’s came out so back to the caravan we went.

Thankfully by the third night there was a breeze which made life a little easier and so ended our time in Jeparit.