Paul moves to Mount Todd gold mine

Around October 1987 Bruce moved to Mount Todd which was near Edith Falls, between Pine Creek and Katherine.

It was a big move and expansion for Bruce as he had to get a large loan for all sorts of machinery including a new Kobelco 30 ton excavator and 3 Terex articulated 23 ton dump trucks.  A lot of investment in setting up the camp would've been required also.

Paul helped setup the new camp at Mount Todd and then started driving Toyota DA tip trucks carting mine extractions whilst they were waiting for the new machinery to arrive.  By November the 3rd Paul mentioned in a letter to Gwenny that he was driving a Terex so they arrived sometime before then (in another letter dated October 26th Paul was driving the tip truck still).

A Terex dump truck similar to the ones Bruce bought

Paul goes back to Katherine to work for Bruce

Paul thinks it was around this time, in mid August 1987, that he went back to Katherine to work for Bruce.   The catching that he was doing with Uncle Peter (catching lone bulls) had wound up and Goucho just wanted Peter and Brett to stay on with the more general mustering.

Paul lived back at Bruce and Jeannie's place - probably in the caravan in the back yard.

Paul goes Bull Catching

Paul and Peter tying up a bull with Charles watching on

Uncle Peter got a contract with Henry Gayoso to catch wild cattle and buffalo at Elizabeth Downs station which is on the other side of the Daly River.

We all drove down in a big convoy at the start of the dry season in 1987.  There was trucks towing caravans, catchers and all sorts.  Paul drove his Suzuki Sierra.

Paul mainly did roping from a special seat on the bullbar with Uncle Peter driving.  They caught about 50 bulls this way.  He also helped setup portable yards for helicopter musters etc.  Paul only did it for 2 or 3 months but Peterboy stayed on until near the end of the year.

One day he and Uncle Peter were working somewhere by themselves out in the bush Uncle Peter asked him whether he had ever had a girl friend.  "I suppose a good looking fella like you have had quite a few?" he asked.  Paul responded in the negative and Uncle Peter then said "you know that Gwenyth Pattemore would make a lovely wife!"

Paul knew who Gwenyth Pattemore was - a girl at church -and he thought she was very nice but had never seriously considered anything more.  When he was living at Bruce and Jeannie's Gwenyth visited once and they played monopoly together and got along pretty well, although they were both a bit shy.  He dreamt about her that night and from then on just couldn't stop thinking about her!

Brett walking across the flat whilst they load a bull

Blind "Sibby" in the chair Paul roped from

Aunty Wendy with one of the "Hazer" catchers

Paul's paternal grand mother Jessie passes away

We were sadly informed that Paul's grandmother Jessie Thomsen (nee Wilson) passed away today aged 81.  She was born on the 7th of October, 1905.  Her husband Noble passed away in 1967 just before Paul's parents were married.  Jessie had therefore been a widow for 20 years.

Paul remembers a graceful beautiful old lady that Craig and he were blessed to visit a few times over the years.  She lived in Maryborough.

Pauls Mum and Dad and family move back to Darwin

Paul's family moved from Katherine back to Darwin in April 1987.  However Paul was working for his future brother and sister in law by then (Bruce and Jeannie) so moved to their place and lived in a caravan out the back of their place in Katherine.

His cousins Brett and Peter were also living there with him.  Peter lived with him on Riverbank Drive for a while also at Paul's mum and dad's place.

Paul remembers a certain girl, Jeannie's younger sister, visiting their place during this time.  They even played a board game together and seemed to get along quite well.  From memory her name was Gwenyth.

Paul buys his first car

Sometime probably in January 1987 Paul bought his yellow long wheel base Suzuki Sierra from a dealership in Katherine.  He bought it second hand for $9000 he recalls - it was a 1984 model.

It wasn't really his first car as he did buy an old 2 stroke 3 cylinder bush basher Suzuki (an LJ50) from Humpy Doo when he was living at the Thomsen's, but this car was never registered whilst he owned it (or since as he cut the roof of it etc!)

Soon after Paul bought it he met his mum and dad on the Vic Highway coming back from their holiday in Perth.   Apparently dad pointed to his car on the side of the road and told mum "thats the sort of car that Paul bought" without realising it was him waving at them.

Paul in his belove "Suzy" - with his cousin Adam or Matthew Tucker