G,day.
I was born at my Grandfathers farm on Cowpasture Road.
I went to the Horsley Park primary school. It was one big room with a divider ( which could be opened ) forming two class rooms.
Six classes, one teacher !! We walked the few miles to school untill
later when we got bikes. Sometimes we could cadge a lift home on the bakers cart if he was running late.
We had no running water or electricity in those days. We used the big
horses around the farm for plowing and pulling sleds.
I look back on those years as being the best of my life. Was still living there when I got married.
Left the area to go west in 59.
I guess its changed a bit since I last saw it in 1980. I dont think I want to go back for a look, as I would rather keep the memories intact.
Cheers.
What a small world. My parents bought a few acres here in 1949 and I have been living here all my life. There are not too many farms left on Cowpasture Road now - in fact it is a 4 lane main road with an industrial area towards Prospect Dam. I also went to Horsley Primary. There were 3 classes when I first started school and this had grown to 6 when I left. We also rode our bikes to school. Both our children went there and it is still a lovely country style school.
Horsley Park is still semi rural but the character of the area is quickly changing from the old market gardens to large sprawling homes on manicured lawns etc etc. With new freeways we are now 30minutes from the airport or 40min from the city centre. We still enjoy living here.
If you ever do come down this way, get in touch.
G,day erich.
Its a small world indeed.
When I left there the Horsely Drive was still a dirt road, in fact, when I last saw it in 1980, I think it was still all dirt. The only piece of tar in the whole district was when you crossed over Walgrove Road.
My people moved there in 1920 and my mother was was born on the same
property in 1921. We started off with 1100 acres but at the end in 1963,
it was down to ten.
When I was a kid picken tomatoes and peas, those acres seemed to go on forever.
Behind us in the bush to the east was a motor cycle race track, which we
haunted as kids when the meetings were on.
We wearn't rich but I think all of us kids were blessed with the lifestyle
and environment that we grew up in.
Thank you, if I ever do, I certainly will.
Cheers.
What wonderful memories you must have. Where abouts in Cowpasture were you? Was it around the Bunya pines and the old Horsley gates area, where the shop used to be before it burnt down in the 50's? Or was it further out, away from the Prospect Dam?
We still keep in touch with some of the old timers...Helen Kerfoot is still here living in the historic old Horsley Homestead, she was one of the Moffat family. Always interested to learn more about the place where I were born & raised.
My mum is still alive & well (in her 80's) living a very active life. She has just left today for a 3 week trip to Canada & Alaska!
Keep your memories and the stories rolling..
Thanks again, Erich
G,day Erich.
That shop that burnt down was originally owned by a Mr and Mrs Hartung, a German couple, lovely people.
We lived up the hill from that shop, the road used to go up thru a cutting.
We lived on top of that cutting on the right hand side of the road.
We had a great view of that whole valley area.
Going up Horsley Drive from that shop, there lived a Chinaman, just on the other side of the canal. Mr Lee, we were great mates, I would call in there on my way home from school and his wife would fill me up with dim sims and stuff. He tried for ages to teach me to speak Chinese, without success, as I just couldn't get my mouth or brain around it.
I have had a lifelong interest in China and its history and culture since
knowing that man.
We also had Italian and Maltese farming neighbours and they all took us
kids into their lives and I became fluent in those languages.
Since those days I have mostly been very tolerant of people from other countries and have spent a lifetime studying history and geography.
I also became interested in the aboriginals back in those days. Grandfather employed a few of the them at times to get the crops in. They were always welcome to sit and eat at our table and they
told us kids alot about their culture. I dont know where they came from, as they certainly didn't live in the district.
My Grandfather was very well read and was one of the most inteligent
men I have ever met. He taught me that curiosity and the need to know
can be one of the greatest gifts. He was a bit of a loner ( like me, I dont travel in convoy ) and hardly ever left the farm, except for a few special days of the year when we would all go out on special trips. One of my favourites was going on the ferry across to Manly and going to the Horsley show. That was held on the flats opposite the P.O.
Do they still have an annual Horsley show ?
When I first started school, there was a beautiful young girl in my
class, Judy Honeyman. She was the first real love of my life. Cripes, I still get goose bumps. She never new of my adoration tho, pity.
The best teacher I ever had, was at that school, a man called Hogan.
He recognised my thirst for knowledge and inquisitifness and fostered it.
Ah yes, fond memories.
PS:
A lot of people dont Know that Cowpasture Road, was one of the first
and longest roads back in the days of early settlement.
It was surveyed in September 1805 an went from Prospect to Camden.
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