Australian History – Hint #4

Originally published January 10, 2019

---

Hint #4

Australia has been through a lot, and sometimes I don’t notice how much of its history I learn without ever meaning to. There’s just so much history hidden in our minds, knowledge we can’t even remember learning, but will always have with us.

My mind will always remember the thrill of the story when I hear these words:

There was movement at the station…

I’m sent back into an engaging story of stock men and horses, wild chases and bushy, crumbling hillsides. Banjo Patterson is especially important to me, as I grew up in love with his works.

But there are some kids out there (and adults as well) that missed out on learning those tales and growing up with a variety of aspects of Australian History. So this post is dedicated to sharing history with those who may or may not have heard it before.

On the 17th of January, 2019, I’ll be taking my sister to a secret, surprise event. So far she’s received three hints. She unwrapped a toy horse (Hint #1) and a dog’s chew toy in the shape of a steak (Hint #2) for Christmas. On her birthday I posted “Though it may be your birthday today, _____ doesn’t celebrate its 13th birthday until April 4th later this year”. She’s not yet figured out what is happening on Thursday, but this post is Hint #4 (and a HUGE hint, if she can figure it out).

Australia has been through a lot. While some stories seem more myth to some of us, such as the High Country Legends and tales from Banjo Patterson and other Aussie Greats. Stories of great mail drives and young girls sold to the circus seem like an entirely different world to the city dwellers of Australia (aka my sister and me). We dream of droving in the bush, riding horses into the sunset and crazy battles on horseback.

But for most of us, there are some tales that seem very much real. While the younger generations have started to forget the times of war in our past and only hear of Anzacs at school and in books, there are many of us that still get goose bumps at the mere mention of such things. My sister and I were lucky in that we spent a lot of our time in Woodbridge when we were younger, and learnt the story of the Tenth Light Horse Regiment, and the brave sacrifice that soldiers such as the Harper brothers had to make during the war.

When we were younger, my class had a writing competition after an excursion to Woodbridge House. I will never forget the story one of my friends told, from the point of view of Wilfred and Gresley’s sister. Warning, if you want to read it, especially if you know the story of the Gallipoli and the blood bath that occurred in August 2915, there is a good chance you will need tissues.

There are other aspects of Australian History that wouldn’t come to mind immediately if we were told to list a historical event in Australia. Yet there are few Australians that wouldn’t have heard the name Phar Lap. The famous race horse is undeniably well known, and his spirit lives on. There are some things that are so ingrained in our culture that it’s impossible to stay ignorant of what has happened in our past.

But our past isn’t everything, and there are events today that affect us just as strongly. Perhaps such events will echo through our history, just like the tales of famous battles, brave sacrifices and spirited horses. One event that comes to mind is the five-year drought some of our Aussie farmers are facing. Not years ago, not in our history, but RIGHT NOW. This isn’t our history, its our present, but its still important enough that most Australians have heard of our suffering farmers, even those isolated from the hard times by large cities and their own struggles.

So, Hint #4, my dear sister, is hidden in the text above. But I will tell you this much. On Thursday there will be a huge focus on the struggle our farmers are facing right now. So while you’re on holiday, having fun and enjoying yourself, take a moment to respect the sacrifices Australians past and present have made for us, so we might both enjoy our holiday in a time of peace, free of famine and strife.

Here’s the story my friend told, House of Memories.