The year would have been about 1932 and my parents, who were pioneer wheat farmers at Natya in the Victorian Mallee, were having tough times. Wall Street had collapsed and my parents had four children in four years - all drought years - when there was little rain, crops were poor and little money.

My Uncle, Harold Fulton, had the Billiard Room down the bottom of the Main Street and was the Captain of the Ultima Fire Brigade. The fire bell was situated on land at the blacksmith's block, which was near the Post Office. And the fire reel was housed a block away, somewhere near the back of the Hotel.

There is a funny story regarding a fire in the Main Street. The Brigade answered the fire bell and raced to the fire but a wheel fell off the reel. Sadly, the house was burnt down. And they later converged on the Wine Shop or Saloon.