Before I start I want to thank Derek for his support and assistance in making areas available for us to cover just about any subject.

Some of the yarns that we tell about the old days would cause massive reactions today but back in the early 60's a lot of things went on that we would shudder about today

This yarn is a story that is true in every word and I will refrain from mentioning the location and speak in general terms only

This goes back many years when most far west towns were visited by travelling sideshows with knockem down tents and trampolines as well as rides etc, anyway back then the route rangers were generally returned soldiers and this particular bloke had a drinking problem that tendered to effect a bomb happy problem that he suffered during the second world war.
Anyway to get on with it this bloke had travelled to a nearby large town and purchased a new pair of
RM Williams cuban heel riding boots and had visited the local pub drinking of all things overproof rum that was available in those days and being 3 sheets to the wind was walking home and came across this sideshow that was set up in town.
Said route ranger spotted the trampolines and being in the condition that he was in decided after watching for a while that he was in good enough condition to negotiate the required movements on the trampoline and so paid his fee and jumped on forgetting to remove his riding boots, thus quickly upsetting the fee collector who quickly made sure that he removed his boots.

(NOW THIS IS WHERE THE FUN STARTED)
At the time there had been so much rain that the town was cut off by floods after I had arrived a few days before and as a result I was staying at this blokes place I knew his son very well and had meet the family a number of times and had been made more than welcome.
anyway back to this story we were at home when he turned up yelling blue murder about his boots and he stormed into his bedroom and came marching out with a full wood ex army 303 and a belt full of ammo yelling that he would fix the thieving B@##***ds and get his new boots back. (It seems that while he was having fun on the trampoline someone had walked off with his new boots and left him with a worn out pair)  This blokes son took one look at his father and said to me that we had better follow him as he had gone troppo (Bomb Happy) and he was liable to do anything. Out he goes and jumps into a Green Bedford 11/2 ton truck with a horse float on the back and heads west out of town. As was the norm in those days the local indiginous people lived in camps generally on the banks of the local river and being at the end of the week most of the local group had been in town at the sideshow and the route ranger had decided that one of the local gruop was responsible for the loss of his prized boots and he was determind to make them aware of his displeasure. well we followed in my mates ute and he was constantly stopping and yelling at each group he came across waving the 303 around and making everyone show him the boots they were wearing.

He gets out to the river and on the bank is an old pump house shed that was not longer in use and there was a large group of young fellas sitting around when he turned up still going off his head and they started giving him a gob full of cheek and ran into the shed where they thought they were safe. We could see the lights of the local police heading out towards us from town but he had about a 5 mile start and we were'nt game to go near him while he had the gun so all of a sudden he shut the door of the truck put it into gear and drove straight into the shed causing it to collapse over the top of all of the blokes inside he then stood on the running board of the truck and began blazing away into the wreckage of the shed (How he missed them I dont know) there were fellas crawling out amongst the roofing iron and hitting their feet and taking off clearing stock fences without missing a step and all you could see was teatress shaking as they cleared out of the area anyway the police turned up and took the rifle off him and stuck him in a cell for the night as they were leading him away this bloke was yelling that if he didnt get his boots back he would be back. The next morning we got up and you couldnt see his yard for every type of shoe and boot you can imagine

Guys I swear that every bit of this story is true
Cheers Furphy

Well, all I can say is that if anyone sitting around a campfire or is organizing a story telling event, FS sure knows how to deliver a yarn!!

Heres a yarn, exactly as it happened, and does make you think a bit.
In the early 80's myself and a mate were full time alluvial gold mining near Trunkey Crk, south of Bathurst. Well, after a couple of years my mate married, moved to Canberra so the mining came to an end.

I was doing other things but continued going down occassionally at weekends just to do a bit of panning. One Friday was feeling a little jaded so packed the ute and with dog for company down to "pennyweight point" for the weekend. We had left a bit of gear there (as you could in those days) but the rot was setting in. Someone had been there, not only took some of the gear but left a bloody mess behind to boot.

I decided that I was not going to camp there, but move further down the creek. The only decent spot was right beside a large white gum, which are decidedly dangerous trees. Anyway, I thought this is only for a couple of nights, the weather was dead calm, and I wasnt looking at that garbage (which I would clean up next day).

Got a nice camp fire going, scraped an ares for the swag, decent meal with a couple of ports and called it a day.
The next thing going on is that I woke with a start, in my head was the sound of a howling gale, gear flapping around, not real good. When I woke fully I realized that it was still dead calm, not a cloud in the sky, was merely a crook dream.
Back to sleep again (probably had a port to settle down with) then suddenly waking up with the wind roaring through the trees exactly as before. And as before there was not even the predawn breeze.

Knowing I was not going back to sleep I got the fire going and made a cup of tea as daylight was breaking. Not feeling too happy with the world and without really thinking I started packing up.
You could say, the "vibes were not too good" Headed home with a spoilt weekend.

A couple of weeks later I decided to go back to Trunkey, mainly to clean up the garbage left behind and also put up a sign to say it was a mining lease. Tidied this up and thought would go to where I camped to make sure I hadnt left anything behind in my early morning pack up.
Now this was the shock I received. Right where my swag had been was a very large branch, fallen from the tree. Of course I dont know exactly when it happened, but reckon during the night I camped there was definately given a warning (it actually took 2 to shift me.) But then it may be pure coincidence.
Whichever way, I have never set up camp beneath a tree since.

cheers mikel

Mike
I have been told many a story like yours and I have no doubt that we all have an in built warning system and I think that you knew that you were doing the wrong thing camping there.

I have a funny yarn about a bloke who was one of the worst snorers that I have ever heard and I ran into him in a shearing shed where I was doing roustabout work and a little pressing for a short time.
Anyway this bloke was that bad that no one would camp with him and as a result he generally got a room by himself and it was usually right down the end on its own.
Most of the guys used to have a tranny going all night to try to reduce the effect and most times this was'nt effective and the shearers were beginning to hit the whinge button and muttering strike action etc.
well after a week or so a couple of the shearers packed up and left and the contractor had to find some new shearers and went into town to see what he could dredge up.
Well he brought 3 blokes back with him and one of the blokes had to move in with the snorer, not a lot was said about his room mates habit and lo and behold about 15 minutes after we had all gone to bed we were all sitting up with our ears pricked waiting for the reaction not one tranny was turned on and sure enough away this bloke went and we were sure that there was going to be one hell of a reaction.

NOT A WORD from the new bloke and bugger me if a few minutes the snoring stopped dead and did'nt start up again at all that night.

Well you can imagine the questions that were on everyones mind when we went to breakfast next morning and as soon as we could we cornered the new guy and asked him how he had stopped the snoring.

Easy he said when the bloke started to ratchet out the ZZZZs I just got out of bed went over and kissed him smack on the lips HE sat up watching me all night and I got a good nights sleep.

Drastic by effective
Cheers Furphy

Hey cb the wonders of new tech great idea would have benn funny seeing that keep em coming guys and keep this area going
Cheers Furphy