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Showing posts from September, 2018

'Big Toe Severed' at Koondrook

My Grandfather, Percy Empey, cut his big toe at Koondoork. He was taken by tram from Koondrook to Kerang. The story appeared in  The Bendigo Advertiser in 1917. Notes ' Big Toe Severed ', The Bendigo Advertiser, 27 October 1917, p.10, Accessed 27 August 2018. Photography by Jennifer Empey, 2018. 

A visit to a farm at Koondrook in 1910

The following story appeared in The Leader in 1910 of a farm visit by my great-uncle Bill Empey. In August 2018, I went to Koondrook to visit the country town by the Murray River in Victoria. I captured some photos of the town to add depth to his story.  Notes ‘ A visit to a farm’ by William Empey . ‘ Correspondence ’, The Leader , 16 April 1910, p. 50., Accessed 27 August 2018. Photography  by Jennifer Empey , 2018.

The Disappearance of William Empey. Content Warning: Death and Disturbing Content

The fire crackled. Water bubbled to the boil. Bacon and eggs waffled through the weatherboard house on the corner of Villeneuve and Downey Streets in Alexandra. Modern Day Villeneuve Street, Alexandra ‘Dad, your breakfast is ready,’ hollered Lily. ‘Come, sit down, and eat it whilst it’s hot!’ ‘I’m comin’’, William said. ‘It smells delish. Can you take some money to the post office to send to your mother?’ ‘Today, yes I can.’ She placed the money in her apron pocket. At seven 7 o’clock, he grabbed his coat and hat. He stuffed his dinner in his coat pocket and picked up his billy. ‘Bye, Lily,’ he called out. ‘Bye, dad,’ she said, as she came running to the door. She kissed him bye. Outside, the smell of smoke drifted up his nostrils. On the other side of the Ultima Thule Creek, the quartz crusher loomed over the town. Its mechanical arms heaved up and down. Something caught his eye. Blooming Heck! That pesky goat has gotten out again , he thought. I don’t want