COLLIE RIVER VALLEY BULLETIN, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 9
CCCCCCCCC PPPPPPP People, places and contributions to Collie life
Show went on with Judy People NOLA GREEN
A BURST water main, no fireworks, sprinklers showering the horse events, a computer, five kids and a road with no name – what do these have in common? Judith Davidson, that’s what; they have all been part of the busy life of the retiring secretary of the Collie Agricultural Society. Judy joined the Ag. Society in 1987, four years after she and her husband Ashley arrived in the district. Apart from two years away at Boddington, she has been a fixture at the showgrounds ever since, in spite of having a 70-kilometre round trip to get there. She will step down from the executive at next month’s annual general meeting to take things easier for the sake of her health. The week of the Collie Show has been a hectic time for Judy for 34 of the past 36 years, but things like the burst water main on show day made things even more fraught. “We had to rush around and find a way to get it fixed,” she recalled. “And then there was the time the arena was all set up for the horse events, with the horses and riders out on the field when the sprinklers came on. “Everything and everyone got wet, and we had to find someone from the shire to come and turn them off. “But the worst time was when there were no fireworks. People love the fire-
works, and the team just didn’t show up. “We had to tell the crowd he had mechanical problems, but the truth is he just forgot to come. People were so upset, as were we, but we got them for free the next year to make up for it.” Judy became treasurer almost as soon as she joined the committee for one simple reason. “I was the only one who could work the computer,” she said. It was a flashback to her days working with the Public Works Department (PWD) at Pinjarra, when she scored an electric golf ball typewriter. “They were a new thing, and I rang a friend at the PWD in Perth, to boast about having this up-to-date equipment,” Judy recalled. “There was also a ledger machine in the office, but no-one knew how to work it, until I came along, they were posting by hand. “The other girls couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw it working.” Judy was born in Subiaco, and went to school in Nollamara. She did callistenics (rhythmic gymnastics) which was a big thing then, and became involved with the scout movement. “It was a family thing, in those days everyone would be involved. "I had a cub pack for 10 years. They formed a guard of honour for me when I got married – one of the cubs is now in Federal Parliament, Senator Dean Smith. “I became friends with lots of the kids and I still catch up with them.” Judy met her future husband, Ashley, who was a policeman in Mandurah, through a girlfriend who was married to a policeman. Ashley and Judy were married in the Presbyterian Church at Mt Hawthorn, and settled down in Mandurah, with Judy working in Pinjarra as she couldn’t get a job in Mandurah. In 1983, Ashley left the police force and got a job at Worsley, so the family followed. Later, they moved to a property in Buckingham, almost in the Shire of West Arthur, on a road with no name. When they came back from their twoyear stint in Boddington, they were
surprised to find Telstra had listed them as living in West Arthur, and began a battle to clear up the matter of
Judy and her husband, Ashley, on their wedding day.
JJJ’’ JJJJJ WHEN tennis equipment is overpriced it's a racket. ■■■ ENGLAND has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool. ■■■ EVERYONE thinks my runny nose is funny, but it's snot.
their home address. After years of living on the road with no name, they recently received a map showing the road is now officially Davidson Road. While the show kept her busy, Judy
THE
Judy Davidson in the Collie Agricultural Committee office during her last days as secretary. was also active on the Amaroo P & C for a big part of the show,” she said. 16 years, served on the school council “We used to have a cattle auction and bus committee, and represented the which was a big drawcard, but the guys school on the Roadwise committee. couldn’t bring the cattle in because they With a round trip of 70 kilometres a were working. couple of times a week to keep up with “The last couple of years have been difthe duties of show secretary or treasurer, ficult with COVID and major metropolithe travelling was taking a toll on Ju- tan shows with dates that clashed with dith’s health, and on her pocket. ours, causing problems getting rides and “The price of fuel going up has been sideshows. getting a bit much,” she said. “Young helpers are hard to get. When Judy started as treasurer, the "We had a junior committee, but they office was in a separate old wooden build- grew up and weren’t replaced. ing, but it is now at the pavilion, and air “I’d like to think the show has a future, conditioned. I don’t want to see it go. Everyone tells She has seen changes such as moving us it is good. from a two-day show to a one-day show, “We have monthly markets. You would the new office, toilets and a kitchen in the think the show would be booming, but we pavilion, and extensions to the pavilion. need new young people. I will stay on the “When the mines’ shift changes hap- committee, but not as secretary, it is a lot pened, we lost the cattle which used to be of work,” Judy said.
BYSTANDER LOOKS AROUND
Trampolines and grandmas Bystander has some tips for grandmas and trampolines. Tip #1: Don’t go on a trampoline. Tip #2: If you do “1”, don’t jump. Tip #3: If you do “1” and “2”, don’t drive a car. There’s a grandma who should have read our tips before being stranded in the driver’s seat, in the middle of the road, at night and unable to get her car into the driveway, having to
call on grandad to rescue her. A self-imposed two-day driving ban followed the incident. Troubling timeline A local woman recently shared an interesting tidbit with her friend, telling her it had been 210 years since Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was released. "Oh really?" was her friend's reply. "The book, or the movie?"
Musical motivation A local woman was at an exercise class recently, and the instructor gave the music volume a boost. As many red, sweaty faces (and a few ringing ears) emerged after class, our local lady's smart watch beeped. It was warning her not of her heart rate, but of possible hearing damage from the music!
