Living History

Depression Years at Windeyer

Rabbits where in plague proportions and whilst a disaster for the local farmers to the unemployed they were their main supply of protein. I remember after school going out setting my dozen rabbit traps and next morning retrieving any trapped rabbits from the jaws of the steel traps, it was a cruel method used in cruel times. We became special chefs in the preparation of rabbit; they were fried, roasted, stewed and other varied ways as they found themselves onto our tables. The skins we sold also helped to improve our meagre existence

As the Depression worsened and unemployed rose in the cities the Government of the day were encouraging the unemployed to go the old gold rush area such as Windeyer where indeed unemployed men and their families would find their lives more bearable. Their advice was not being very well accepted so nine young women funded by the Government with their camping gear and gold fossicking tools arrived at Windeyer and after their arrival there was no shortage of eligible bachelors to show them how to fossick for gold. As a result of their arrival and the relationships that developed two marriages resulted.

With the outbreak of war in nineteen thirty nine unemployment ended. Many of those unemployed young men had their first job as they joined the armed forces and others left for work in support of the war effort. Windeyer is now a small quiet community yet I remember well when its population was swelled with people whose lives in those depressing times of the Great Depression, living at Windeyer, gave them hope for a better life in the future...

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