Unlocking family stories - Rosemount

Many years ago I recorded an interview with my mother including some of her memories of Rosemount. I also found some photos that were taken on holidays at Rosemount.

Rosemount in the 1950s

Rosemount was a dairy farm with some pigs. It was a lovely spot. The house was very old. There was a creek at the bottom of the property where we used to swim on occasions. There were platypuses in the creek. There was a big mountain, Mount Archer, behind the property... Behind the main house, part way up the mountain was the share farmer's cottage (not always occupied).

Rosemount 1962

When the family first went to Rosemount they had their own generator for electricity. There was a large wood stove in the kitchen. The house had three bedrooms downstairs with Mother's bedroom upstairs and another room off that that Dad had. Mother had a lovely view from her room as she was up the top of the house. There was a little narrow staircase. Downstairs there was a big lounge, dining area and a verandah on three sides of the house.

Inside Rosemount 1962

There was huge Morton Bay fig outside the back gate. Down the side of the house was an old orchard, very neglected. It was where the clothes line was - wires with branches of trees holding them up. There was a huge barn. Aunt and Dad had about eighty sheep between them and we had to go out every evening and bring them in. They were often by the creek. We used to go for walks in a wooded area near the creek - Fairy Dell, Gran called it . It was great going in there, shady with many paths. Some of the walks were hilly but always pretty.

View from front verandah looking towards creek

My childhood memories of Rosemount were that it was a great place for a holiday. Living in Melbourne most of the year it was a different experience spending the summer holidays on a farm in southern Queensland. Lots of space, lots of animals, a very different environment from the city.

Madam, one of the pigs, liked to socialise with the cattle

As well as the dairy cows, pigs and sheep there was assorted poultry to feed and look after and, of course, eggs to gather.

Feeding the ducks

The Chev utility in the background of the above photograph is the one mentioned in one of the sale notices for Rosemount and came with the property. 

Many of the coloured photographs taken at Rosemount in 1962 have faded but they still provide a glimpse of what the house and farm was like. The photographs and my mother's recollections help record this part of the family story.