15 Jun 2007 - My name
is Hugh Robert Charles Innes and I am 31
years old. My family and I have gone through
the worst times a family can go through
only second to a death. And that is the
loss of your home and everything you know
which happened in 1995. I grew up on a 22,000
acre Brahman cattle stud which is the fourth
oldest registered brand of cattle in Australia.
We were situated about 50 kilometres west
of a town called Bundaberg just outside
a little town called Gin Gin in South East
Queensland Australia. I am the only boy
and the eldest with four younger sisters.
I was also third generation on our property
behind my late grand father Hugh, my namesake
and my father Robert. Growing up on the
land was an experience that I will take
to the grave. That old saying "You
do not know what you have got until you
have lost it" is so true it is scary.
On the positive side of a huge negative
I am glad I have gained this experience
of a loss at such a young age. The problems
started when I was 18 years old, near the
end of my schooling at Sydney Church of
England Grammer School. I boarded there
for six years and went home four times a
year on holidays to see my family and animals.
In about 1992 every time I went home I
would notice it getting drier and drier.
I remember driving out with my father to
one of the back paddocks to check one of
the dams. When we got there we found an
old cow that had got herself bogged in mud
so badly she had only her head sticking
out. Her need to quench her thirst was overridden
by the dangers that lay in front of her
in the mud. All this trouble she went through
to get to a small puddle in the middle of
what used to be a five metre deep hundred
square metre dam. I do not need to go into
detail but lets just say that the poor old
girl did not make it and this sticks in
the archives of my memory. I also remember
the words that echoed from my father&rsquos;
mouth "In all my years on the land
(which was 60 years at that stage) the weather
patterns are getting worse and you can not
pick the seasons anymore". This drought
started in 1992 and continued long after
we were forced to leave our property in
1995.
During the drought I remember hearing that
bush people were forced to leave their properties
their homes. Many farmers also suffered
and are still suffering from depression
because of loosing their properties and
the only life they have ever known which
is living off the land as a farmer.
I also remember other changes in the weather
such as getting frosts in winter when we
did not in the past and a much longer summer.
The new green growth of grasses and crops
in winter would be destroyed which meant
even less food for our cattle. This was
compounded by very little to no feed on
the ground during the long drought stricken
summers. We ended up having to feed all
our cattle by hand with boiled sorghum or
barley. This was very expensive and meant
that when it came time to selling them there
was very little if any profit which was
the money that ensured we could live and
feed ourselves.
I did not even think back then in early
1995 that a little after six months down
the road my family would be a statistic
as well. Things got so bad and there was
no money coming in and the bank very coldly
gave us our marching orders. We had to leave
everything we knew and move on. This brought
deep depression for the whole family and
my poor parents having to find out the hard
way who their friends really were. It was
interesting and horrible at the same time.
Since those dark days I have relocated to
Sydney and my parents now live in a rental
house in Brisbane.
My mother now manages a Boutique women’s
clothes shop and is doing well and I am
very proud of her. My father is a terrible
diabetic and is an amputee. He cannot work
because of this which is very sad because
it is a waste of one of the best cattle
minds in the business. He is the toughest
man I know but is finding it extremely hard
to be house bound and unable to do any physical
work. I wish only the best for my parents
because they had such a hard time back then.
All my sisters are starting to move on with
their lives I love them all dearly as we
have all been through a lot. My heart goes
out to all bush families at this present
time and beyond. I think things will get
worse on our great continent due to climate
change unless people start to listen. This
means no money, loss of livelihoods and
family homes, depression and even suicide.
This is where my poems come into play. As
global warming must be taken seriously my
words are from the heart and are true. Man
must stop yawning the earth has never had
a population density like now which means
greater problems, man must stop yawning.
I hope mankind are listening.
Global Warming
By HRC INNES
Acid rain pouring the temperature is soaring
our earth is starting to look used and
Abused and boring from mankind ignoring.
The vital signs of the sea envelop me. Polar
caps melting our vast sun blistered plains
sweltering. We are on the brink this I dare
not say I think.
I look up into the sky so so high and the
thought of Mother Nature dieing that I am
Potentially implying. Our governments have
been lying and big business happily
Buying from mankind’s selfish and greedy
environment mining. I am sorry there is
no
Silver lining.
Man must stop yawning
For the earth is warning
Armageddon is forming
My anger is swarming
Our children’s children will be in mourning
For this is global warming.
© All Rights reserved
Hugh R.C.INNES
10/09/2006
Drought
By HRC INNES
No Rain oh what a shame
Who’s to blame? Global warming’s the name
this inflicts great rural pain over years
And the only moisture will be a thousand
- thousand tears
From the realization of many, many fears-
Generations can be lost
Very similar to the dreaded holocaust
This comes from suicide, thirst, starvation,
mind deprivation
All of the above which includes no money
Please don’t laugh - it’s serious not funny!
Respectfully,
City people do not understand
For this experience comes from living from
the land
They have a shower - they wash their clothes,
To them water – just comes and goes
And even gets wasted in tap overflows
Or through their sprinkler on their garden
hose
They hear the radio – they watch the TV
“How long can this bloody drought be?”
And “what is level three – or four?”
“Does that mean dry a more?
“Geez my throat is getting sore!”
So please!
Think!
When pouring full for half a drink,
Because being smart will help prevent out
unique world
From falling apart
Water – its our lifeblood
Please use your brains don’t be a dud
To be brutally honest our dams are near
mud
So take a stance, join in the rain dance
And conserve our precious liquid gold
Otherwise our children may never grow old
© All Rights reserved
Hugh R.C.INNES
2006
