LIST OF PRINCIPALS Mundinburra State School 

EMAIL MEMORIES OF MUNDINGBURRA

Graham Dare grade 5 a policemans son.

Ian? McIver grade 4/5

Paul Mathieson G2 or 3

Peter Healy G2 or 3

? McDougall

Carol Wright , Orma or Wilma? Fuller Grade 2 or 3?

Bruce Strange I should know but for the life of me I cannot remember his face. He was literally in my class all thru primary and was at Pimlico High.

Bruce Strange next to Ian Walters, Kay Fuller next to Janice Izzard.)

Note 2

 #Top    I have borrowed a 1984 Mundingburra reunion Booklet. Of interest is the photo and names of the Teachers 1958. That image is attached. It is a reduced file, but I do have the full scan to print photos for anyone who wants one.

All the kids feared Jack Highet, loved Jack Gibbard and some hated Ted Norris. I understand Miss Hume was not universally loved!! The lady teachers did not make a lasting impression on me.

Should be able to borrow the Book again for the next students meeting, so you can skim thru that and see if there is anything of interest.

The teacher missing from the photo is Ray Harris. our grade 7 teacher, killed in a motorrbike accident about 1961. He left teaching to take a public servant job with the Army, a friend of his informs me. Perhaps that is why he is not in the photo. He had a great rapport with the more unruly boys, including Victor Stromouchiw who you may remember. That's another story.

His brother Jeff was in 3B/4B with me at Pimlico. I met his uncle Peter who I think was a PMG Tech testing copper wire at the Copper PL ( where I worked for 26 years). He told a rather rude joke about the honour and offer of Prince Charles and Diana which I wont repeat here. Another Tech was Jack Stanley, father of Lyn, I wonder where they are? Jack had 7 children, and that is another story too.

I digress, Ray introduced us to CJ Dennis, Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. I did learn some of "The Play" by C J Dennis, forgotten it!!

to cut a long story short, Juliet fakes her death, Romeo finds her apparently dead and kills himself.

Juliet wakes up

Note 4 14th Dec from Cathryn Brasnett   #Top

Dear Ian, It was lovely to hear from you via my brother Richard (who lives in Toowoomba, along with my brother Trevor. Our youngest brother Adrian lives in Perth). 

Photo L to R Adrian,Cathryn,Trevor,Richard Brasnett

My parents retired to Toowoomba in the mid 1980s and died in 2007 and 2008.

My husband Ken and I have been visiting our daughter who lives in Scotland for the last couple of months and have just arrived back in Canberra where we live.

I have wondered often during the years what happened to our old primary school friends and where they are now, so it was so good to hear names I had forgotten which were refreshed by your message.

After Mundingburra, I spent three years at Townsville High in the city then the final year at St Anne's, before I commenced nursing at Townsville General Hospital. After completing the four years training I moved with my husband Ken Blakers to Canberra as he was a navigator in the RAAF. 37 years later and many moves (our average was 18 months) we settled back in Canberra in 1993. During that time I trained as a midwife at Nepean District Hospital in Penrith, NSW then worked in that and other nursing fields until I retired 8 years ago.

I have four photos from that time which I will forward to you but will mention some of the names that I can recall

Bruce Strange (deceased in MVA) Jim Nicandros (Deceased-drowned in Weir

Jimmy Ashcroft, Barry and Peter Voss (twins)

Robbie Burrows and his twin Nick, Kerry Stevens

Paul Matheson Malcolm Grierson

Bill Bruce Noel Cocking

John Harris Cheryl Neilson

Ron Chappell, Janice Stewart

Albert and Robert Sampson Jean Bennetto

? Giddy- (his sister Thelma older) Yvette Borreson

I would be interested to hear updates about other classmates and would also be interested in attending a reunion if we are able in the future.

Thank you so much for the effort in contacting me and also my very best wishes to you and your family for a happy Christmas and New Year.

Sincerely Cathryn Blakers (nee Brasnett

Could you list from left to right the names that you remember in each photo please.

I did email the photos I have to Richard, but will do so again to you if you did not get them from Richard.

I think we have now found abut 15 students from the Mundingburra class, 12 local still plus 3 out of town.

Their email addresses can be sent too.

We had a small group meet here in November, I plan another in about April when the weather is cooler. Let me know if you did not received the photos and name sheets.

Grade 2 B 1953

Back Row . Bruce Strange( ...........?)(...........?)(...........?) Paul Matheson Bill Bruce, John Harris, Brian Wilson (..Clive?.........)(...........?)

2nd Back Tommy Squires (...........?)(...........?)Ron Barton Vic Stromouchiw. Greg Wordsworth Peter Cod (...........?)(...........?)

2nd Front. (...........?)(...........?)(...........?) Cathryn Brasnett,(...........?)Raisa Stroumouchiw (Gail Price?)(...........?) Lydia Hennessy

Front row.Carol Wright Lyn Stanley Gwen Webb Cheryl Nielsen? (...........?)(...........?)

Grade 111 B 1954

Back Row Peter Cod? (..............? ) Greg Wordsworth Ron Barton Paul Matheson Bill Bruce Brian Casey? (Clive?......... ) John Harris (......?........)

2ndBack (.........?....) (......?....... ) Bruce Strange (.....?........ ) Nick Andros Raymond Casey? Vic Stromouchi (.....?.......) (........?...).. Tommy Squires

2nd Front Gail Price Cathryn Brasnett (......?.......) (........?.....) Raisa Stromouchi (.....?..........) (......?.......) (....?.........) (.....?.......) Carol Wright (Suzanne Whitman.?)

Front row Gwen Webb (......?....... ) Lyn Stanley Lydia Hennessy (......??...) Susan Ross? Colleen Saunders?

Ian & Pat Walters

    Note 5 

   I have put my thinking cap on and have come up with names and some memories of Mundingburra State School years. I do hope my memories of people and names are correct but it is amazing how one recalls events and people when one actually sits down and thinks seriously about the people involved in our lives. I do hope this helps and I would be interested in participating in any reunion if available.

   My husband, Ken and I are taking our caravan through Western Queensland to the Kimberley in late April and returning down the centre of Australia in June so apart from that I may be able to get to Townsville to catch up. Looking forward to hearing from you and viewing more photos. Hopefully my attachment had downloaded successfully- please let me know if it was unsuccessful. Best wishes to you and yours for a very happy Christmas and for good health and much happiness in the New Year, Cathryn

Choir Photo. boy on left of John Harris is Brian Wilson. He is till in Townsville, but there are about 20 B Wilson in the phone book. He is also on the right of John Harris in 2B

Choir front row first is Diane Winterburn, who is still here but does not answer emails. Glenda Gilmore ( G 7 & 8 knows her well)

Barney Edward tells me he was not at MBurra before grade 4, he remembers Ted Norris but not with affection!. He is in the same dance group as Pat and I. I will leave his name there for now.

I knew I had Victors last named incorrectly spelt. I did find him ( and Anatol, Townsville) on the Atherton Tablelands years ago when I first started this search. I got his name confused then could not find it again.

A lot of the names I dont remember, Denise was much better at that. I do remember a Clive in G 2 or 3, a very pretty boy who kissed the girls before ( or maybe after) school at the back gate. Denise did tell me his last name, but I forgot it and when I asked her again, she did not remember. I must ask again. ( Gilshannon??)

Attached is the file Memories, this is to and fro from Denise and I sorting out names.

See if you can fill in any missing names or make corrections. No hurry. I have also asked everyone if they remember a girl Fuller, first name Orma ( but perhaps Wilma according to Denise). Name ring a bell? Grade 2 or 3.

     I did make an error in my memories- Graham Bourke's youngest son's name is David- not Ian. There are probably a thousand more errors but I will correct them as I become aware of them. Different Christian names are becoming apparent as are surnames, but I can thank you in that you have spared me from an afternoon of writing Christmas cards which is the most arduous job of the year, however the chore still awaits.

    I keep meaning to give you my phone numbers and address- which eludes me each time I reply in the excitement of sharing memories. My address is 12 Les Edwards Street, Forde, ACT 2914 and phone numbers Home 02 61241 8110 and Mobile 0412177419. My email address is cathken(at)optusnet.com.au

I haven't been able to download the documents you forwarded yet but will try again before contacting you in desperation.

I would like to forward your emails to the other pupils if that is OK with you. It keeps them up to date and may kindle a bit more interest.

I will convert the wps files to some other format. I still use Windows Works, which is well out of date.

Had forgotten the webpage, it was a trial and perhaps I need to consult other pupils in case someone does not like the idea. How would you feel about your Memories of Mundingburra on the page? Its a project in progress. I must update the names on that page.

Did you receive the photo of the Nov 16 group, Glenda, Kay Donald Denise and Lydia?

    Growing up, Lydia and I lived around the corner, (she lived on Ross River Road and Bartlett Avenue) and I lived in Gulliver Street and later Wentworth Avenue and we used to play after school.

     The Stanleys lived not far away in Wellington Street so we were always riding our bikes between the two residences plus Lynne and I were in Brownies and Guides together, along with her sisters.

     Bikes, I now realise, gave us an enormous amount of freedom, as we were able to ride all over Townsville- even one trip to the Black River in Guides when my pedal kept falling off and I had to ride with one pedal and the shank of the other all the way home. Gail Cook and I, at THS, practised for weeks until we could ride up to the top of the Cutting in Stanley Street beside the school until we could get to the top in one go.

   We would then career down to Flinders Street dodging cars, one time I recall with my chain off ( the bike had a back pedal brake system) and I had to stop, using my shoe leather on the bitumen as brakes to halt my rapid progress.

     I do remember Denise well- she was going to study medicine- did she?
I haven't been able to download your data files so would appreciate if you can resend in another format please. As for the identity of the girl 3, Grade 3 photo- it remains a mystery but does Ian Ball sound familiar as the boy who had the stone fish/ stingray barb sting?-I think he joined the class either in Miss Hume's class or Miss Sturges's class.
      Thank you for the photo of the last reunion, Kay Donald and I were best friends and I recall going with her to the Baptist Camp at Nellie Bay and returning with a severe tummy bug which put me out of school for two weeks, that was in the time the doctors did home visits and I remember Dr O'Connor ( in the practice with Dr King and Dr McLoughlin on Charters Towers Road) visiting our home several times.

    I nursed with her cousin Lyn now Verzeletti, with who I keep in loose contact. I seem to remember that Lydia married Bob Morton who was in my class at Townsville High School- am I correct?
     It is interesting that we know another Pat Walters whose husband was on an specialist navigation course with my husband Ken in Lincolnshire in the UK in 1973.
Well back to the Christmas cards
Best wishes and we hope you avoid any cyclones Cathryn

  We were always terrified and walked with trepidation, down the centre of the garden then after being served, turned tail and ran for our lives.
  5.The other Market garden was further out along Ross River Road and sold strawberries. I remember Mum giving us 10/- ( a massive amount) to buy some strawberries for one of our birthdays.
   6. The creek at the Fulham Road end of Gulliver Street, was where Mum used to deposit the green skin frogs which gathered under the rim of our septic toilet, their legs hanging down for us to see. When we refused to go to the loo until they were removed, she collected them in a bucket and took them down in the car after she had got her licence.

   She achieved this with the four children in the car and Dad instructing, driving up and down the old war time airfields at Mt Louisa and learning to back by reversing into the big concrete loading bays left over from the American occupation. We even accompanied her to the Police Station in town and waited on the footpath when she went up the cutting for her driving test with the policeman.
    7. I do remember Sammy Chew's shop very well as well as Leong's just up from Woods Street on Ross River Road, with the Post Office next door. Later there was another Leongs at the Rising Sun.
   8. Euydrice McDowell who lived next door to the Vosses in Harding Avenue owned a horse and she let me ride home one day until a bulldozer came by, the horse shied on its' side near Mango Avenue, whereupon I leapt off the horse, grabbed my bag from Euydrice's hand (she was leading the horse) and I fled for my life and realised that riding a horse was not on my bucket list.

   She married Graham Morrison who lived over the road from us- they were both senior to us. Alan Chellingworth's brother Colin, who was in my brother Richard's class, tried to sell him a wild looking horse called Santo Domenico for 5 pounds.

   The horse reversed into my father's Austin A40 which was parked on our footpath and with its eyes rolling, showing only the whites of its eyes, and this was the indicator to my mother, whose mother was an excellent horsewoman (having grown up on cattle properties north of Normanton), that Santo Domenico had no place in our lives. My father never recovered from the shock!!!
    9. One memory was when then Head Teacher came to our class room and asked me to dink Ian Donald (who was in my brother Trevor's class) home to his home on Ross River Road in the middle of the day as he was ill, on my bike.

   Nearing his home his foot got caught in the spokes on the back wheel of my bike- I still feel remorse, even though this would be unheard of these days to commission a young child of 10 to take another home.
    10. You talk about the Garden of Roses cafe, I remember my parents (well mainly my mother, who killed all our chooks when they finished laying, cleaning them and dressing them) selling them to the Blue Bird Cafe in Flinders Street.

    The other cafe I remember was the Ozone cafe on the Strand. The other was the Golden Gate cafe next to the West End School with the best pies and pasties- unmatched by anyone since.
    11. Greg Wordsworth's father was a real estate agent, I think, and I often wonder whether the reporter, Matt Wordsworth who often reports from PNG, is any relation to the family.
    12. The other thing you mention were the number of disadvantaged families at the school. While none of us was wealthy, we were aware that some families did it very hard. Looking back, the war had not long finished and there were some families whose fathers had died or suffered very poor health as a remnant from the war years as well as the migrant families who were starting afresh in a new land.

   Mrs Jantzen was much loved by us kids.
   I had Jack Gibbard for G 7 and 8. All the kids loved Jack.
Mr Highet was much feared and respected, and thats another story in my
education.

   His daughter Greta I am told is now in a Nursing Home. After Grade 12, a fellow school mate by the name of Kerry Davis ( 18/19) took a shine to Greta and turned up at her home. She was out, but Jack was home, and Kerry got the third degree.

Do you have a car? do you have a job? do you have any money? can you keep my daughter in the manner to which she is accustomed?

Kerry was looking for a girl friend, not a wife!! He had neither a job, car or money or any serious intentions.
    I certainly remember the Chinese market gardens. In 1952 my parents
bought Burleigh Park, 2 acres at 110 RR Road. He plowed up the front 2
acres and started a market garden, with some assistance from the Chinese
gardeners. ( I have a photo of the homestead and work in progress clearing
somewhere if of interest).
    The string for bundling summer lettuce and shallots? My brother and I
did a lot of teasing out hession bags and bundling the strings. Everything done self
sufficient where possible.
    And the paddy fields were actually water ponds, the gardener had a pole
across his shoulders, with a bucket on each end. He would walk into the
pond, lower his buckets and go water the gardens. I suspect the pond also
contained natural fertiliser !

    We found the Chinese gardeners very
respectful, especially towards the kids and ladies.
     I have a vague memory that the Williams family operated the strawberry
farm, across the road from the Jang farm, that farm near to where RACQ
stands now on RR Road.

   You will remember the Jang pupils, Peter, Danny and
I cannot think of the girls name who I think was in the same age group as
us. Denise and Lydia know her. Peter died a few years back.
    The creek at the end of Gulliver Street is actual the old river bed, it
extends right along Fulham Road, to the back of Mundingburra School, across
Balls Lane and becomes Mindham Park and goes a long way along Charters
Towers Road. Charlie Kathagen lived that end of Gulliver Street, there was a
guava tree near the bridge which got inspected whenever I was in the area.
     My limited riding experience was cantering on Allan Chellingsworth horse,
probably he same animal. Cantering bare back was OK, but the trotting made
it a bit hard to stay aboard. Still, it convinced me that I really had no
interest in horses.

   Colin ( youngest son?) and Melody Stevens were childhood
sweethearts, her brother is Gilbert Fletcher if you remember those names. ( I worked for her mother at one time, she was a plant person and I used to collect the old
beer cans from around the igloo runways, a penny each, to buy orchids.)
    Mat Wordsworth is Gregs much younger brother, Lydia informed me.
Must go, last dance night for the year. Will write again. Regards to all,
read Cathryns email above  Ian & Pat

       "The Back Track' that's from the back gate of the school, over the wooden bridge and the smelly swamp and onto the corner of Balls Lane, Kings Road and Fulham Road. It also went off towards the Bowling Club, and the end of Wellington Street.

       The same swamp smell always reminds me of that Mundingburra swamp bridge and Townsend Street ( a far end of the same swamp, Mindham Park) , where I first saw a huge green frog and was conned into trying a birds eye chilli. Live and learn.

       A lot of the kids went home that way, over the bridge, and some of us would ride bikes along the high guinea grass lined tracks, risking life and limb toourselves and any others on the tracks. It was wild territory.

      I remember the pump house near the bridge, one afternoon there was a boy lying on the roof, looking dishevelled, and our young minds worked overtime, maybe it was murder!. We went and roused a local housewife, who came along to see what the problem was. Just a stupid kid being where he should not have been.

     Ray Kennedy, the Burrows boys, David Lowrey and Janice Stewart ? went home that way.

     The other direction took us to Wellington Street. Our yard, 2 acres, stretched from 110 RR Road to Wellington Street. The same swamp was also there at the corner of Wellington Street and the later DeCourcey Street, which became the boundary of our yard.

    We were warned to stay out of the swamp because of crocodiles, and Dad would actually go down there with his shotgun. We quickly learned it was dangerous black ducks he was after, so the swamp was less frightening, especially when it shallowed and we could catch and corral the ells in muddy pens.

    Over the road was Fred Lamberts chook farm, DeCourcey's home and orange orchard and 3 Bowen mango trees. Its all gone now, maybe the mango trees are still there. Fred grew banana trees as well, although we never found any near ripe fruit.

    The oranges were fair game when no one was home, and the mangoes tended to be half ripe, much better if keep for a couple of days to ripen.

    When we first arrived at 110 RR Road, the big paddock along Wellington Street (now Anderson Park Botanical Gardens) was a cane field. I can give you a detailed method of making the tough cane sweetly chewable, the soft tops were the best.

    The cane did not seem to be there long, it was replaced with a field of watermelons, much to our delight.

    I can remember Mother finding us under the rain tree next door at the back of Hegatys property, with a huge melon. .

   We certainly got a scare, expected stern warnings and the threat of the razor strap when Dad was told, but nothing eventuated, so it was probably "boys will be boys, don't do it again" and left at that.

   Learnt our lesson, found a better hiding place for melon feasting.

   The melons and cane are long gone, we seemingly slowly grew up and interests further afield beckoned.

   Ross River with black and silver scats and silver mondactyls (aquarium fish) in the little side creek near the meat works, to Aplins Weir, catfish under the rocks after the weir overflowed and Geesons Weir, for garfish catching themselves on set lines while we swam and explored underwater.

   Garfish were cooked in an old frying pan, the mud wrap method never seemed to work.

   Mount Louisa was a favourite haunt, Allan Chellingsworth lived near there, and knew the track up the ridge to the top. There was a little creek and a swimming hole at the base, and bitumen roads everywhere to the old Airforce igloos, good bike tracks in the bush.

   Aplins Weir was a great playground, I remember swimming across the river there, getting half way and thinking maybe it's further than I thought. Fortunately Gilbert Fletcher came along on a paddle board. I sat on the front trying to maintain a little modesty, thanking him for the lift.

   I walked back to the bikes, along the bank and over the weir wall.

   Our Bikes, like yours, were our freedom machines, we went everywhere on them, from Town Centre to Harveys Range, Mount Stuart and out to Many Peaks Range at Pallarenda. Dont have a bike now. Ian

    I did want to nitpick about your back track memories though. Janice Stewart lived a few blocks from me on Halloran St and I usually walked home with her and others, leaving by the front.

    Also David lived in Norris St for most of the MSS era, moved to Fulham Rd later. No idea when they moved, David is long dead, so hard to check.
    Hope your owls are well. A friend in Cranbrook has a boobook that has moved from her trees to under her house, fortunately it decided it didn't like sleeping on the car so has moved to other spots under there. Guess it's solid shade with a bit of a cool breeze.
   After the first big rain here, Nervilleas decided to pop up, but in the little bit of dirt i didn't scrape from the bottom of the original pot when I went digging for tubers to repot! I'll know to scrape the bottom of the barrel in future. best wishes denise

9th Feb 2017 From Ian to Denise, Lydia & Cathryn

   The Mater in on the property of the original homestead, Kurrajong.

   That homestead has a long history, and it was once owned by the Ferguson family, whose daughter Lorelle married my uncle Amical James Souvenir Costello ( Smith). The homestead was moved to the heritage village. Lydia probably knows more about the history.
   Lorelles ashes (she died in a car crash) was supposed to be buried under the kurrajong tree on Fanning Downs, dont know if that ever happened.
   Its an interesting story how Amical got his name. My grandmothers brother James was lost in WW1 ( never found/recovered) and the first son of her second marriage to Harry Smith got the name Amical James Souvenir which translates into " Fond Memories of James". Ever after known as Mick.
    The owls must be on holiday somewhere, nia at present. The curlews have move over the near neighbours fence under some rubble ( theirs) and apparently have a nest. I dont have right of way issues with the big bird at present.
   Next time you are in our area, call in and collect another Nervilia species, they have proliferated very well this year.
  Does anyone know where to contact Janice Stewart or Lyn Mazlin or any others? Regards to all, stay cool. Ian & Pat Walters

4.4.17 From Ian to Cathryn   Hello Cathryn, there is an obituary in the local Bulletin for Dr Kevin King, born 1921. I think it is the same doctor I knew as a child, but then I only vaguely remember a much younger person. I wonder if Lydia or Denise knew him?

I can post it if of interest, or you can find it on the Townsville Bulletin web page.

Trust all is well with you. Have you started out on the round Aussie trip yet? Regards  Below my captured tree spirit, trapped in the drawer front of my desk. She has smiled kindly on us here.