Of Tragedy and Valor
Norman Rumbelow

Norman Rumbelow was born 1927. 

Lived in at Narrung for 64 years then moved to Meningie; his grandfather took up land at Narrung in 1907, he had been a fisherman at Victor Harbor and moved his boat to Goolwa and launched it on the lake; he fished in the lake which had saltwater and freshwater fish; caught hammerhead shark; had dairy farm as small family farm of 305 acres; later, after WW2 farms were amalgamated as properties too small; strong community spirit, few cars and all entertainment was local - picnics, dances, church functions; 1860s wheat was grown but stopped because lake water was salty; pumps installed when fresh water was in lake and increased irrigation; no local hospitals when he was born so his mother came to Adelaide; father took over farm from grandfather then he took it over from his father; farm was double the size; he worked property on his own and retired from it at 50; from 1943 to 1956 he used horses then bought a tractor; used draft horses; used horses for ploughing, harnessed a team of them and worked all morning then gave horses a midday break then worked to sunset and brought horses back in; describes harnessing and ploughing process; used 6 horses; trained them himself; had 4 wheel buggy and dray and rubber tyred waggon on car chassis all pulled by horses; grew crops to feed cows and horses; milked about 25 Jersey cows by hand, mainly used for cream, separated it himself; pigs grown and sold for bacon to Chapmans at Nairne; country had scattered trees when he was young but mainly cleared; wheat farmers came in 1860 and land was cleared; some areas of un-cleared mallee still there; started work on the property when he 15; went to school at Victor Harbor by boat then rail; did whatever work was required by his father; rabbits were a problem and ate some crops; killed off when myxamatosis introduced in the early 50's; most native animals were wiped out but are now returning; there were ostriches at Yalkari; fished for recreation in the lakes, with hand line - callop, congoli, silver perch, tench, used worms for bait; shot ducks for food, not for sport; shot them on the water in the evenings, didn't need decoys; caught teal, black duck, white eyes, whistlers, mountain duck; Aboriginals lived at Point Macleay and some worked on the farm; local tribe were Ngarrindjeri; father went to school at Point Macleay and learned Aboriginal names for fish and birds from schoolmates; talks about problems with half caste children and how they were killed at birth; Narrung Hall built in 1910 and used for a school; got a good education and as a result won a scholarship from doing Qualifying Certificate; teachers taught all seven grades in one class; good discipline and behaviour; for recreation played tennis, dances, concerts, social church functions, card nights; after WW2 farms got larger and cars became more common, sense of community lessened; ran the farm on his own; horses sold off and bought a tractor; after farm sold he did casual work for other farmers until he retired, drove tractors; sold farm to neighbour who amalgamated several farms together; electricity came in early 60's; old dairy - concrete floor with mud field outside, eight cows brought in at a time, separator room for milk next door, fairly primitive set-up; bought milking machine before 1950 (run by stationery machine) which only needed one or two workers, wood copper for heating; new dairy - milk room, diesel engine, feed room, concrete yard, all electric.