We were in the middle of a World War when we arrived in Tasmania. I think that WW2 had started about the day I was born. Every thing was in short supply and mostly rationed. My Father had the only motorised vehicle on “Armitstead” being the manager.

All the work was done with horses. Draft horses for ploughing and harvesting, stock horses for stock management and personal transport. There was an old small tracked Caterpillar tractor which was used for some of the heavy work.

After the harvesting was over and the hay stacks were built, a local contractor would come in with his traction engine and chaff cutter to cut the oat sheave into chaff, and bale the stacks of hay into hay bales. All this was just the best fun for a young kid.

We did not have electricity until I was about 8 yrs old. The power came to Kimberley first, but what with the war on and short supplies it took a bit longer to reach us. The poles seemed be up along the road and to our house for ever before it was turned on. My Mother would say, in her frustrated way- “I wish they would hurry and turn the bally power on!”  Well it eventually came on and we celebrated by turning every light in the house ON. Out side on a power pole above the garage was a huge light which seemed to light up the whole world.  And it had a two way switch. One at the house and the other at the garage. How’s that for technology in the 1940’s. Gone were kerosine lamps, out came the toaster and refrigerator.  My Mother was very Happy.