FULL CIRCLE

Around 1988 Patti and I returned to the mainland after living ten years at The Ravine De Casoars, down near Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island.  

We purchased 56 acres of high bio-diversity bushland near The Range hall, in the hills above McLaren Flat. For nearly a year we lived in a small brick house on this property, with dramatic views over McLaren Vale to the sea, while we built another house.  It overlooked a very deep dam, (32ft) that I put in, just downstream on an arm of Breakneck Creek, below another very old, smaller dam. 

The new house was built into the side of the hill, over-looking it—constructed by my mate, the late Ian Collett, who introduced rammed earth to South Australia. 

The only thing that Patti ever really demanded of me, was a half-round roof. And that is what it had. The roofing contractor has never been the same since. Later, the small house and acres were sold and that had a right of way up to Pennys Hill Road.  

After six years here, we regrettably had to sell, for financial reasons and moved to Weston Flat, near Morgan in the Riverland. 

We had a very happy and satisfying time there in an old-growth mallee block, on the cliffs overlooking the River. Ian built us another smaller rammed earth house there.  

When Patti died in 2018, I decided to move back to my old ‘dung heap’ (McLaren Vale area.) I visited Tom Harris, who  had purchased ‘The Range’, and put a radical proposition to him. I said ”If you give me a ‘silly’ price for ‘The Range’, you can stay here until the day you die”. The house had an upstairs mezzanine area and plenty of room.  

In the meantime, another ‘full circle’ had taken place, with Claire Barry and I getting together. We had first met on the second trip I had operated out of Hawker to the Innamincka area in 1967, and had gone out a couple of times. At the time she was committed to going to New Zealand, did so, and married a Kiwi. Our daughters thought it was a good idea if we had a coffee together. We did, one thing led to another and we are now partners for the long haul.  

Unfortunately and tragically, Tom was killed in a vehicle accident before our ‘arrangement’ went into his Will. However, his lawyer witnessed our conversation and took notes. This made it possible, in a time of exceptionally high property prices, to purchase back ‘The Range’, showing that occasionally, lightning can strike twice in the same place. 

We are very grateful. I intend establishing a small feral fence reserve here, to specifically breed Stone Curlews for release into areas where foxes and cats are rigidly controlled.