Colin Walsh is a 5th generation dairy farmer in the meadow. His famous twin uncles Tom & Ted were instrumental in developing the Illawarra Shorthorn breed. His families paternal side is Irish Catholic convicts deported to work for Alexander Berry in 1824 & Scottish immigrants on his maternal side arriving in 1852. His aunty was Vonnie Muller (nee: Walsh) who recently passed away. Colin is 1st cousin to Patrick Muller.

Colin married Sue McIntosh and they both live in Turners Lane still on the functioning dairy farm ran by their son Justin. They also have a daughter Mel Green who lives in Hanigans Lane, Plus a few grandkids fast growing up.

Dorothy O'Neill, Colin's sister from Morschels Lane helped me through the introduction to Ep. 8 and referred to papers written by Maureen Ackland (nee: O'Mara).

Hans Jorgenson jumped ship in England arriving in Sydney in 1879. He was a sailor from Norway. He settled in Robertson and married Harriett Mansfield in 1883, they had 7 children, 2 boys & 5 girls. His son Bert went to school with William Miller. Perhaps that is why Bert came to Berry.

Bert established a bullock team and picked up and delivered cedar logs to saw mills. He was a character and played both Rugby Union and Rugby league around WWI. His nephew Norman settled in Bomaderry and worked at Nowra Milk factory for 50 years. Norms father William, was Berts brother.

Norm's son Ian is engaged for this episode. Ian reflects on his history, his milk factory memories and his career servicing dairies as a refrigeration electrician from Albion Park to Milton. His great-uncle Bert features front and centre in the memories of many men in Berry.

Pearl Biggs (Nee: Pheeney) was born in 1944 to parents Rita & Eric Pheeney. The Pheeney's are related to the Devitts by marriage and the Vaughan's. Pearl's mother was a Rutledge. William Vaughan travelled up from Bega to secure land for sale from the Berry Estate. William farmed at Bolong til death in 1932 and was Pearls Great Grandfather. on her maternal side. Her grandparents Evelyn Vaughan and Fredrick Pheeney came up from Bega a bit later and secured some land near Fletchers lane. Evelyn came up in a horse and carriage with 3 kids and pregnant with son Eric and a wheel came off the cart on a river bed. Her husband Fredrick drove cattle up on horseback and she had to wait for him to arrive to assist her.

Fredrick sold his parcel of land (or swapped it with Fletchers) then bought Maylands, Meroo Rd in early 20th century. Evelyn travelled from Bega by horse and sulky, pregnant with Pearl's father Eric. Fredrick drove cattle up on horesback.

Pearl covers a lot of social and agricultural history in this episode and makes an invaluable contribution to Meroo villages podcast Season 1. I love the Travelling Circus coined by the locals as they all travelled up the highway on their 7 tractors to bale on farms in the district.