Twenty former St Marys students gathered in the Donald Park on October 5 for a picnic lunch and to talk of old times. 

Tony Callahan and wife, Jude, Martina Callahan and husband, Allan, had travelled up the day before and they arrived at the Memorial Park barbecue shelter soon after noon to join Bernard and Marty Melican and Julie Peavey with daughter, Helen and granddaughter Aisha. 

The weather was “drizzle”, which was extremely bad luck as 2024 looks like being a serious contender for the driest year on record!  

It was also a day for “sisters” though not of the religious variety. The Walsh sisters, Anne and Joan, were the first pair along with brother, Gerald.  Then all watched as the Bendigo Brennan sisters, Sue and Jenny, ventured from their car just as the heavens opened and dropped 1 mm rain, the total for the entire weekend, on them as they hurried for the shelter.   

The Glen sisters, Leanne and Maree, live in the Wimmera and they stayed in the car as they knew that as the rain would stop after 1 mm just as it has for most of the latter part of the year. 

Then the Watts sisters, Patricia and Barbara, arrived from Geelong. Patricia told us later that she has a very treasured $20 note in an envelope at her house in Newcomb. This $20 was her winning prize at the Inaugural Speed Knitting Competition at the Donald Show some years back. Her grandchildren are very taken by the mysterious $20 which she tells them that she will never spend.  

Kathleen McLoughlan then drove up in her motor home and local, Colleen Tonkin, arrived as the weather became more chilly.  Colleen suggested that the party could adjourn to her home in the Amaroo estate. The plan had been to walk around the town together after lunch, but the weather had spoilt that, so eventually the group took up Colleen’s suggestion and experienced that “wow” factor as they entered her lovely, spacious home. Peter and Julie Melican were redirected  and arrived at the new venue and the group was complete.  The weather was still miserable and all were very grateful for Colleen’s hospitality. The conversation flowed freely, old photos were circulated and many old friends and events were discussed.   

The “Callahans” eventually decided to return to their hotel for a recharge before the evening meal at the Bullock’s head Tavern. Unfortunately, no one had thought to take a photo before they left so they are not in the group which assembled in Colleen’s lounge room soon after. 

The evening meal at the Bullock’s Head Tavern was very enjoyable.   Brian and Lynne Walsh, Brian and Michael Melican and Barry Adams joined the group, swelling the attendees to 25.    Several of the group also attended 8.30 Mass the next morning where Michael and Kerry Flagg hosted the usual “First Sunday of the month after Mass cuppa” which seemed to last forever and from which no one seemed to be in a hurry to leave.  The Callahan couples also attended a midday barbecue at the Melican farm and a tour of Litchfield before heading back to their homes in the city.  

In all, it was a very exciting and uplifting weekend with plenty of laughs and great memories. Apologies were received from Kerin Byrne, Colleen and Patricia Randall (Giles), Paula Grassano, Michael Roberts, Jackie Callahan and Bruce, Jim Callahan, Colleen and Peter Raynes, Gabrielle Florence, Red Moloney, Margaret and Tom Blake, Mary Anne and Kevin Goode and Jenny Guild and there were several others who had a clash of events which prevented them from attending.