John and Rosemary Turnbull came from a 60,000 acre sheep and cattle property near Tambo in south-west Queensland to settle on three acres in Maleny. Too many droughts persuaded this couple to finally leave their 120 year-old heritage selection. Now they marvel at a landscape that is various shades of green and at a view that is the Pacific Ocean.
Why did you come here?
John – Well, we had about six years of drought. One of them was as bad as anyone’s seen for the last 100 years. We were also at the age where we thought if the kids aren’t coming back to help work the property then why stay here.
We were 80 kms south of Tambo and 132kms north of Charleville on a 60,000 acres, sheep and cattle property, that had been in the family since 1886.
I had thought about giving it up for eighteen months before I said, that’s it. Labour was very hard to get because we were 80kms out of Tambo. You couldn’t just duck into town easily, and if it rained you might not get to town for a couple of weeks.
Rosemary – It was also hard to educate the children, particularly with staff who had young children. It was a 20 minute drive to the bus stop and then another hour in the bus.
John – I heard someone being interviewed on Macka one Sunday morning and he said, all the fun’s gone out of it. And basically it had for us too. Back in the 80s you’d work long hours and work hard, but you’d have time off. You would go away on long weekends, or have a party somewhere at a neighbour’s place. But towards the end there it was just work, because with the drought you didn’t employ as many people. I know that the latest rains would have really lifted everyone’s spirits and they would want to keep going.
Rosemary – So why come to Maleny? Because it’s green. We’d been visiting Mooloolaba for annual holidays for a long time and we’d often come up here for a visit, and we’d love it because it was green and fresh. We also wanted to see water.
John – Yes I think after living for years with just dry dirt, most people out there like to see the water, whether it’s a river, a big lake or the sea.
What did you have to change in coming here?
Rosemary – The decision to move was a bit of a roller coaster ride, and a particularly emotional time of our lives. We were quite isolated out there, but a lot of it has to do with attitude. We really wanted to make this change so I think we had the right attitude in moving here.
A real estate friend said to us, when you are looking for a place for yourselves, don’t buy a place until you get the feeling. Well, we looked and looked, and I rang him up and I said, what’s this feeling we’re supposed to have, and he said you’ll know when you feel it.
Eventually, when we first came down this driveway, we both looked at each other and we said this is it. And that was even before we looked inside the house. Three acres was enough. But we’re used to the land and we know you have to work it. Maleny has a habit of growing weeds, so we quickly realised we had to keep it under control. Out west I had about 70 per cent garden watering and 30 per cent weeding. Here I have 30 per cent watering and 70 per cent weeding!
John – In coming here I didn’t want to stop completely, and because I am used to machinery and more physical work, we had a look around and most of the businesses seemed pretty expensive. I spoke to a friend who said he did mowing and slashing and he couldn’t keep up with it. So, this was something I decided I could do and it keeps me occupied for part of the year.
What would keep you here?
John – Rosemary said very early when we arrived here, ‘you know what I like about being here is that you walk outside in the morning and you feel like you’re on holiday’.
Rosemary – I would never go from here. I absolutely love it. The only reason I would go from here was if I had to downsize, and I hope that’s a long way into the future. We find the people on the
Range extremely friendly and often comment how friendly the shop assistants are in Maleny and
Montville.
I also love the bird life and I love gardening – I have joined two gardening clubs.
John – Out west, you went and joined things because if you didn’t then nothing happens. I am getting to know people with the mowing and slashing and the neighbours are very friendly. We’ve met quite a few people who’ve come off the land or from businesses in bush towns – from northern NSW or western Queensland. I guess we’re a group of like minds so we get together from time to time.
Rosemary – What I like is that places are so close and I can get to see the family. For example, our son went away to boarding school in Grade 6 and our daughter in Grade 4. And I must say, I found that hard. Kids mature and gain their independence very quickly when away at boarding school. Now, I can ask them to come and have lunch with me in Brisbane. So I see them whenever I want to see them, or whenever they want to see me. It’s easy and I really value that.
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