Crows Nest Weekend

October 27th & 28th, 2006

Neil & Desley Middleton
Peter Middleton
Graham & Sandra Moore
Ian & Valda McDowell
Kevin & Maralyn Snell
Kathy & Graeme Forrest
Daryl & Beryl Parcell
Bill Freeman & Rose Ayling
Jim & Phyllis Williams
Jeff & Beryl Crane
Joe, Carmel & Emily Elmore

Few of us would need to ask who Jan Scudamore is. It’s a name synonymous with four-wheel driving in both Queensland and Australia. Jan and her late husband, Ivan, were heavily involved in the Queensland Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs (now Four Wheel Drive Queensland) and Four Wheel Drive Australia. Some of the organisations she championed include Tread Lightly! Inc. as well as the Fraser Island Defenders Organisation (FIDO). For those who don’t know, Jan and Ivan had an advisory role in the setup of the club we enjoy today, as well as membership in the early days.

When it was announced that we were going to have a social weekend at Jan’s property, first mentioned when she held a memorial service for Ivan. A “Suck it and see” weekend, that I knew I couldn’t miss it. It is a house, truly an amazing place, perched on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. It sits on the crest of a knoll, over-looking a picturesque valley out towards Esk.

I was a convoy of one when I left the Blue Star at 7:30am on Saturday morning. This was a pleasant opportunity to make decisions about which direction I wanted to head in. I arrived at the property and was pleasantly surprised to find that everybody else had made the journey up on the Friday night, which would have made it even more special. According to those already there, a fire was made and mainly a relaxing evening was enjoyed by all.

After my arrival and setup (well, after Neil – Dad – set up for me) we then ventured back into Crows Nest for their annual Crows Nest Week festival. The day provided bright blue sunshine and it was quite hot around lunchtime when the parade occurred around the park central to the town. It was a brilliant showcase of all that the town offered when the parade made 2 laps of the park, roughly the size of 2 rugby fields side-by-side, containing stalls and entertainment. Nine club members had starters in Heat 5 of the famous Crows Nest Worm Races. Ian McDowell’s runner won him a trophy the size of an egg cup and a first place ribbon.

After returning to camp, four of us went to collect some firewood, collecting a fence post amongst it. This effort all proved to be in vein. The wind had whipped up in the late afternoon so, with a bushfire sending plumes of smoke into the air near Goombungee, it was decided that it would not be prudent to start a fire that night.

With that in mind, the women got invited to share in Jan’s quilting knowledge (Judging by the amount of books on the subject in her private collection in the downstairs ‘office’, I’d say large amount of knowledge) and chatted on. The men, left to their own devices, and with our ladyfolk engaged elsewhere, took it upon themselves to carry through with Happy Hour without them. This left Daryl thirsty and grass covered, and all of the men came away with sore belly muscles – for they had not given their laughter muscles such a workout in a long time.

After all the women re-joined the group, a special presentation was made. As our way of saying thankyou for the use of the property, we presented Jan with a Wollomi Pine.

Jan’s shed was the place to be for the evening after dinner was had, and mostly we behaved ourselves. The weather outside was howling and Bill and Rose opted for the comfort of their own camp, rather than make the trek all the way to the shed. Daryl and Beryl were also notable absentees; especially given Beryl was due to celebrate a birthday in the coming days. Jeff made sure he put us all to shame when he cooked a damper that was able to be summed in one word: YUM. Religion and politics were discussed during the evening, the third of the ‘taboo’ topics given much coverage during boy-time.

Sunday morning we arose to a heavy cloud cover that threatened to break any drought, but alas, the clouds eventually cleared into another fine day. The vast majority of campers took the opportunity to visit the Cabarlah Markets and, judging by the amount of cars parked as I drove through causing the need for the policeman directing traffic, so did a lot of other people. I am convinced that there were some bargains there, but people always tell me “a bargain’s not a bargain unless you need it.” I didn’t need anything so I kept driving. Neil and Desley, along with Graeme and Sandra, stayed an extra night, journeying home on the Monday.

The journeys home took many different routes. Some of us went through Murphy’s Creek but others took a more adventurous route, travelling back out from Jan’s via the Anduramba Hall, joining the Brisbane Valley Highway above Esk.

All in all, yet another outstanding weekend, a relaxing weekend, and a chance to catch up with someone who is dear to us all.

Regards, Peter M.