My Revolving Life.

[jonesfam]

A bit of history.
In 1993 I was employed to move to Doomadgee & manage the Retail store out there. I did this until 2000 when I got a bit sick of the job & moved to do a similar job in SW QLD.
While doing that I ran into my old boss at a conference & he offered for me to go back to Doomadgee again, old job, for some extra money.
So from 2004 to 2012 I was back in Doomadgee Running the store again, in 2012 I got sick of it again & decided to semi retire.
Last week I got phone call offering me another job in Doomadgee, running the Road House, so I've signed up for an initial 3 months.
For the first 3 months I'm not taking the family back out but will have every second week-end at home & we will see how that goes & if I want to stay after the 3 months are up.
It seems that no matter what I end up in Doomadgee, that OK, I love the place but it's funny how my life seems to be a revolving door where I end up in the same place over & over again.:)
Jonesfam

[p38arover]

Off to Google Maps to find Doomadgee. :D

[ramblingboy42]

I don't think you were Pat Malone there Ron..........

[p38arover]

I just found it. Ruddy heck! You'd have to be keen!

[ramblingboy42]

funny, I've been to Wollogorang and Hells Gate but didnt make it to Doomadgee.

a long story but I was at Wollogorang doing an emergency o/h on the police stn genset.

the copper decided to fly back on our a/c and as he flew out a couple of cyclones came down the gulf.....

we were flooded in with very little food ....or grog....expecting to be only doing an overnighter.

in the ensueing days we visited any outpost we could get to on a tractor to bum or buy food and grog.

there were 4 of us and one was an ex chef, so we dined on bush turkey and wild pig for several days until a helicopter being delivered to Darwin diverted and plucked us out.

sorry for the thread theft jonesfam but it was in the general area....

Dennis

[Ausfree]

I just found it. Ruddy heck! You'd have to be keen!
Just "Whereis" it myself, flippin 'eck, I agree!!!:o

[frantic]

I get the impression they like you:D
I guess it's more a decision of if you all want to go back.
One of our foreman left port kembla to manage the loading in groote etland and moved his whole family, he seems to be enjoying it, at least you know where your going and can make an informed decision.

[jonesfam]

Yep, I guess Doomadgee is a bit "Out There" but I do love the place & the people.
SWMBO is quite keen on the idea & all our kids are from Doomadgee.
SWMB is currently thinking of spending the Wet in Doomadgee (mainly school holidays) & the Dry in Ravenshoe.
We will see how it goes, she may be happy with me coming home every couple of weeks for 2 or 3 days.
BTW it is only 987km from our gate to Doomadgee, not far in a Land Rover.:D
Anyway, looks like I'm off on Thursday.
Jonesfam

[carjunkieanon]

I love Australia. Towns like that in the middle of nowhere!

[ramblingboy42]

I can feel a trip coming on here.....

definitely before the wet , cause I know what it's like up there then.....

but not this year....I'm tripped out

[bob10]

Did you meet Murrandoo Yanner in your travels. Interesting man, seems to have quietened down a bit . Just as well, Bob


Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/aboriginal-elder-on-assault-charges/story-e6frg6oo-1111116388045)

[Barefoot Dave]

Jonesfam.
Are you really surprised that you keep getting sought out to go back?
People that have proven their worth in a remote community, especially one with Doomadgees' 'complex' social dynamic, are a rare and valuable commodity.
Having someone that knows who is who in the zoo, means many potential issues never happen.
Surely you must get bored in R'Hoe ;) not to mention the cold!
Good luck, whichever way you go!

[bob10]

Jonesfam.
Are you really surprised that you keep getting sought out to go back?
People that have proven their worth in a remote community, especially one with Doomadgees' 'complex' social dynamic, are a rare and valuable commodity.
Having someone that knows who is who in the zoo, means many potential issues never happen.
Surely you must get bored in R'Hoe ;) not to mention the cold!
Good luck, whichever way you go!


X2, you're a good man Charlie Brown, should be more of you. Bob

[jonesfam]

Yep, know Murrandoo well + all his brothers. He's an OK bloke when not in front of a camera.
I'm off in an hour, don't know what internet I will have there yet, something to be worked out yet.
Jonesfam

[Davo]

I reckon you should feel complimented that they want you back. Here, they just either wait for you to go or boot you out and get another one. It's so itinerant it makes an Army camp look stable.

[jonesfam]

Thread resurrection.

So, I've been back in Doomadgee now for about 2.5 years, driving back to Ravenshoe every 4th, 5th or whatever week to have a week or so off then driving back to Doomadgee & working 7 days a week 12 hours a day.
SWMBO has been handling the kids, small property, being Mum's Taxi & so on.

This was all starting to wear a bit thin, not the job, the back & forth, issues at home while I'm at work. We discovered that if something at home is going to stop working it will happen the day after I leave to come back to Doomadgee.
To live in in Doomadgee I have a small 3 bedroom house, not really suitable for 7 of us, so the family never moved out though I did bring the kids during school holidays on a rotational basis.

Anyway, when I had my end of FY meeting with the Bosses I put to them that if they extended my house so the family could move out permanently, I would stay & work until I retire in 9 or 10 (or 100) years. If not, I would have to reconsider my position.
I thought they would probably say "Nick Off, then." but they didn't!
So we have almost completed installing a 4 bedroom Donga which is connected to the house & will house the 4 boys, turned 1 existing bedroom into a playroom & set up the other bedroom for the Tomboy who maybe a girl really.
I'm off to Ravenshoe tomorrow for 3 weeks (that will beat the usual 6-7 days) & will bring 2 of the boys back with me, SWMBO & the remaining kids, cats, dogs will come over in the New Year.

I'm so looking forward to living as a family again, not being a visitor at home & eating proper food again.

My Bosses are either very foolish & I have them well conned, or top blokes whos blood should be bottled!

Jonesfam
BTW We will keep Ravenshoe for holidays & to eventually retire to.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

:D
just google mapped Doomadgee and what popped up?
The road house! :cool:
Sunny and 32c :D

[Chops]

Have been toying with the idea of doing a trip from Mareeba through to Normanton, (on the high side {Staaten}) and through to Daly Waters. Roughly 1800K :cool: This would mean, we'd be calling in :D
However, this has now been put on the back-burner for a while, so its great to see your still going to be there by the time we manage to get there.
Glad to hear your going to be getting "back into normal married life", its always a good thing, especially where children are concerned. I'd say your bosses are the lucky ones to have you there, and as such, they know it and they're showing great respect for you by helping you stay there too,,, great stuff.

[67hardtop]

Doomagee certainly is a little bit north of nowhere. Just the sorta place to get away from the hassles of the city and life in the fast lane. COOOOOL. Not the temp tho😆

Cheers Rod

Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

[d2dave]

Doomagee certainly is a little bit north of nowhere. Just the sorta place to get away from the hassles of the city and life in the fast lane. COOOOOL. Not the temp tho😆

Cheers Rod

Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

Can't be that far from nowhere. It is after all on highway one.:)

[jonesfam]

Can't be that far from nowhere. It is after all on highway one.:)

Yep.
And most of it is paved now!
You can almost call it all weather - unless it rains more than a bit!

Once the family move out it will be nice to have someone other than the cat to talk to after hours.
The cat doesn't say much.

Jonesfam

[Bearman]

Yep.
And most of it is paved now!
You can almost call it all weather - unless it rains more than a bit!

Once the family move out it will be nice to have someone other than the cat to talk to after hours.
The cat doesn't say much.

Jonesfam

How far west from Doomadgee does the black top go - Wollogorang or further? It was all rocks and bulldust on my last trip thru there - but that was some time ago!

[jonesfam]

Bearman
There is black top from Cairns to Doomadgee except for about 120k between Normanton & Burketown. If you go down through Burke & Wills, Gregory Downs it is paved all the way.
West of us is paved in sections to the boarder, about 50/50, after the boarder it is mainly still dirt.

I'm told Cairns to the boarder will be paved right through in the next 5 years. Of course there are still no bridges, the road will still go under water on the flat bits (most of it) and big bits of bitumen will still end up somewhere in the bush after a decent wet.

But it continually gets better out here. They basically have taken all the fun out of the place. Used to be that a Sunday drive could turn into a monumental mission if a storm came across while you were out. A few times we have driven up to Gregory in a couple of hours then taken 5-6 hours to get home again.
Even the phones work most of the time these days.

Jonesfam

[Bearman]

Bearman
There is black top from Cairns to Doomadgee except for about 120k between Normanton & Burketown. If you go down through Burke & Wills, Gregory Downs it is paved all the way.
West of us is paved in sections to the boarder, about 50/50, after the boarder it is mainly still dirt.

I'm told Cairns to the boarder will be paved right through in the next 5 years. Of course there are still no bridges, the road will still go under water on the flat bits (most of it) and big bits of bitumen will still end up somewhere in the bush after a decent wet.

But it continually gets better out here. They basically have taken all the fun out of the place. Used to be that a Sunday drive could turn into a monumental mission if a storm came across while you were out. A few times we have driven up to Gregory in a couple of hours then taken 5-6 hours to get home again.
Even the phones work most of the time these days.

Jonesfam

Thanks, I was living in the Isa back then and used to be up in that country pretty regularly. Had some interesting times at the Gregory pub, got flooded in at Glenore just outside Normanton and also at Walkers Creek on the way to Karumba back when the roads were all dirt. Had some good friends on stations like Punjaub, Planet Downs, Gregory etc. Do you know John Yanner from Burketown, used to work on the Council there.

[jonesfam]

Thanks, I was living in the Isa back then and used to be up in that country pretty regularly. Had some interesting times at the Gregory pub, got flooded in at Glenore just outside Normanton and also at Walkers Creek on the way to Karumba back when the roads were all dirt. Had some good friends on stations like Punjaub, Planet Downs, Gregory etc. Do you know John Yanner from Burketown, used to work on the Council there.

Yes, I thinks so, it has been a while since I last saw him, maybe mid 2000's I think.

It's interesting country, beautiful to my eyes.

Jonesfam

[Ean Austral]

Good on you for realising the importance of family life. It's very easy to get caught in the work comes first type of life and that's when things fall apart. Regardless of which it was , good on your bosses for realising the importance of the family unit and making the moves to accomodate your needs.

I spent a lot of my life working away from my wife and family and related to exactly what you have been thru. I wish you and your family the best and am sure your kids will look back with find memories in years to come.

Cheers Ean