Early Days in Paradise - LOST!

Not too many changes to this lovely place.  There is a new stove in the kitchen (which had been delivered last year just before we left Nairana but was not connected then), and the guys replaced the air-con unit in the bedroom last night with one that now works – bonus in this 39 degree heat and 90% humidity.

Our first night was disturbed with a cry for help from the RIC looking for some pain relief at 3am – poor man had developed a tooth abscess and was really suffering. He returned to Clermont this morning and his assistant, James, put us through our annual induction – although we probably know more about this place than he does as he has only been here for three weeks.

As “first-in” caretakers our tasks are mainly general maintenance in and around the homestead for the first two or three weeks – mowing, cobwebbing, cleaning, weed identification and eradication, and maintenance of equipment.

Our first morning was taken up with induction and getting ourselves unpacked and organised. The OGO did a little mowing, whilst Mrs OGO completed the unpacking and set up the kitchen. Mid-afternoon we headed out in the Kubota to check our favourite spot on Mistake Creek. The creek is still quite high after rains in February but James assured us it had actually subsided about 2metres in the last three weeks.

You know those days when you wished you had stayed in bed? Well day two at Nairana was one of those days for the OGO. Out mowing by 6.30am he returned to the homestead about 8am with a look of horror on his face. Oh dear, what has happened now? Asks Mrs OGO  - hoping he had only run over something – like that snake he had seen in the middle of the night! – Not as simple as that – whilst mowing the wash-down area near the big shed a misguided rock had found its way in through the window of the big slasher – shattering it into milli-pieces. Reporting the incident to the RIC during morning check-in call the OGO was no happier even when told this had happened before.

Yeah - looks flat to me!

About 10.30am we headed out in the Kubota to check a few tracks. Splashy Pig area was the first stop, in hopes to see some waterbirds. No luck today, in fact the waterhole was very low. From here we tracked along the B-Holding paddock as an alternative route to Mistake Creek.  Not such a good idea.   About a third of the way into the route the Kubota managed to flatten its rear tyre.  Back to those mutterings of two days ago and even more when the tyre was being changed in 38 degree heat – just one of those days! An hour later we arrived at Mistake Creek to check our red-claw nets and have a cuppa break – as you do at Mistake Creek.  No red-claw today so the nets were moved to a new location.

 

Approaching storm

Storm over Nairana

Papparazzi has arrived

 Back at the homestead about 5pm it was lovely to sit on the verandah in the cool of the evening and settle in for an evening of relaxation. But you know that old saying – all things come in threes – well the OGOs day of dramas had not yet ended – drama three unfolds.

At Mrs OGOs request the OGO had dutifully set up the water sprinklers on the thirsty looking gardens – water is pumped from the dam into a tank at the homestead for use in the gardens, etc.  Ever so grateful Mrs OGO set about preparing dinner when a rather irate OGO could be heard muttering something about ‘the damn water pump has stopped’.  Oh yes – pump stops automatically when tank is empty – and empty she be! But it is now on dusk and too late to solve any problem with the pump over at the Homestead Dam, so that will be an early morning job for an OGO that should have stayed in bed today.  Meanwhile, let’s switch to the rainwater tanks until the morning, have your dinner, take a shower (with lovely soft rainwater), and get a good night’s sleep OGO. 

Better days ahead I am sure!