Australians have a pretty good sense of humour. It is somewhat dry, irreverent, ironic and a little quirky. We love to take the mickey out of people, especially our not so illustrious leaders, and ourselves, but it may be a little puzzling for those outside our borders. I once heard someone describe Australians as “earthy”. Perhaps it’s because we don’t beat about the bush. So how did we come to be this way? Some say the answer lies in our convict past. Convicts had a reputation for being rebellious, unruly and unsurprisingly, rather anti-authoritarian. You would be too if you were shipped to the end of the world for stealing a loaf of bread. Our ANZACs too, had a reputation for possessing an irreverent streak and displaying a dark sense of humour as they faced the prospect of death in battle. Many ANZACs originated from the bush so they would have been quite used to facing the dangers of venomous snakes and inhospitable terrain, not to mention drought, bushfire and flood. And it’s in the bush that we still see this ironic sense of humour displayed. Here are a few things we came across that tickled our funny bones on our trip to South Australia in July.
The Eba Railway Siding
Once upon a time railway lines connected small rural towns with larger centres and the ports. In those days, travelling was a leisurely activity where the journey was more important than the actual destination. But now travelling long distances by train is a by-gone thing. In our fast paced 21st century, everyone wants to get to their destination by yesterday. Abandoned railway sidings like this one at Eba, are a common sight, but I fear these people are waiting for the train in vain. The siding and the sign may be still there, but the rails are long gone.
Eba was a small settlement not far from Morgan in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia. The railway siding was built in 1878 and the township had its own post office, school, blacksmith, grocery store and even a cricket team! I believe that the scene at the siding is a bit of a community effort with people adding bits and pieces as time goes on. It’s a very humourous way of marking a time gone past.
The Balaklava Boots and Bras Tree
Just outside of Balaklava, in the Mid North region of South Australia, we came across this display of boots and bras hanging from the branches . No explanation was provided, except for a sign that says “Boots and Bras”. There are all sorts of theories about how something like this might start – hanging boots out to dry while camping, displaying lost items found on the road, some kind of strange Australian ritual….or maybe just another case of Aussie humour spicing up the drive on a long stretch of road. I believe there are other examples around Australia, such as a fence hung with boots in NSW titled “Lost Souls” and apparently quite a few trees across the Nullabor are also hung with boots, bras, thongs and anything else you care to think of – anything to relieve the boredom of a long barren stretch. If you are passing by, feel free to donate!
Balaklava is located approximately 90km north of Adelaide, on the Wakefield River, and was named after the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War in 1854. One of the interesting things to come out of this battle was…The Charge of the Light Brigade. It is a grain growing area, with a great passion for the arts, holding it’s own Eisteddfod every year and my family’s home town for a number of generations.
The Frogs of Balranald
Balranald is in the Riverina district of New South Wales, close to the Victorian border. During the late 1800s it was attracting attention and a reputation for its unruly and rowdy nature, like many inland towns of that time. Considering that in 1881 the pubs outnumbered the grocery stores, it is probably little wonder. Today Balranald has a far more positive reputation on account of its frogs. If you keep your eyes open, and follow the trail, you will discover at least 18 frog sculptures around the town, with more probably destined to appear. What’s with the frogs?
Balranald is home to the Southern Bell frog, which is unfortunately on the endangered species list as a result of disease, habitat loss and the introduction of exotic species. The frog sculptures started as a bit of a novelty but the idea of using the sculptures to both highlight the cause of the frogs and promote the town took hold. Visitors can even purchase their own frog sculpture. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to follow the trail but we did spot these two beauties in the main street. I think it’s great to see a whole town come together to promote the conservation of one of its own native species and with a dash of that old Aussie humour, has found a delightful and amusing way to promote their town as well.
