“When Michael Titley asked me to talk tonight, I wondered: What do I talk about?

I can start by saying that I LOVED being an “Ag Bird” or was it “Ag Bags” you called us?

I also loved the 5 years I spent in the Ag Faculty.

Why does a city girl who had never stayed on a farm choose AGRICULTURE? Well, I loved the country and farms. I loved animals. I had a Department of Education scholarship which gave me a generous allowance. So I enrolled and I have NO regrets!

First year - in 1966 - was hard for me.I had been to an all girls high school, which offered biology or combined physics and chemistry. I chose biology! That meant that I had done no physics or chemistry before Uni.

I worked hard and somehow passed the year. I thought I was pretty clever. BUT, in 2nd year, I failed dismally. Maybe not so clever!

I remember a very good lecturer in Soil Science calling me a “dumb blonde” - and I wasn’t even blonde! I took no offence at all, but today’s young women may not think it funny.

There were so many great teachers in our Agriculture degree. I wish I could remember all of their names. They made our lectures fun and were always there to help.

I remember Dr Done in biochemistry who LOVED his subject and was so enthusiastic; and Liz Kernahan - at Cobbity - to mention only two. There were many others.

So, I repeated 2nd year and chose to do the newly introduced Animal Husbandry course. I think there were about 10 of us. Some I remember well were: Bill Esler, Ron Jackson, Stephanie Lancaster, Frank Nicholas, John Overall, Bart Trott, Ken Waterson and John Wilkins.

It was a great course: I learnt how to inseminate sheep and throw sheep over fences. Plus lots of other things.

In my first year - in 1966 - there were around 12 women enrolled in Agriculture. Most of them, like me, were on education scholarships. Many dropped out. In my 4th year, I was the only woman.

I have been asked what it was like being in a faculty of mostly men. Was I treated well? The answer is YES. I never expected to be treated any differently - being a woman - and the Ag Guys were great. They were inclusive and fun.

As I said, I struggled with Physics and Chemistry in first year, especially the pracs. In the labs, we were arranged in alphabetical order. I was a “W” and so, in physics, I was partnered with Rolf de Ville (a “V”) and, in chemistry, I was next to Geoff Ward (a “W”). They helped me so much. Without their help, I doubt I would have passed first year.

I have to talk a little about the total of 6 months of farm stays. I LOVED THEM!! I never fudged any of that time. I stayed on many different properties. Some were: A sheep property between Canberra and Yass; Lismore on a small dairy farm, twice on a Casino beef cattle property, at llford some cattle and apples, 90 miles west of Bourke sheep and cattle, scientific poultry breeders at Kenthurst - who also paid me - and Sofala, sheep and cattle.

I worked hard alongside the men: dipping sheep, drenching sheep, piece picking etc in the shearing sheds, de-barking trees, weeding – digging out thistles, milking day and night, driving tractors, mustering sheep and cattle - I could ride a horse. I don’t think any of the farmers felt “dudded” because I was a girl, except for one, who wanted me to cook!

What experiences and what memories! Firsthand, I witnessed and understood the difficulties and hardships of farm life, especially those in remote areas, during drought, fire and flood.

My final year in Agriculture was spent living at the University farm at Cobbity with the final year Vets. I bought a horse to take with me.

Our animal husbandry group had diminished to five: Bill Esler, Ron Jackson, Ken Waterson, John Wilkins and me. I loved that year so much that I hardly ever went home for weekends.

A little about my career

After completing my Agricultural Science degree, I did my Diploma of Education. Lisle Brown, Ted Nethery and Neil Sommerville did that as well.

There was a lot of free time during the Dip Ed year so I played a lot of squash. I was asked to play in the Sydney University inter-varsity squash team.

I enjoyed that so much that, when the Whitlam government introduced free university, I enrolled in an Arts degree (majoring in Biology) at Macquarie University so I could play inter-varsity squash a few more times! My results were pretty good in this degree – so maybe I wasn’t a complete “dumb blonde”.

I taught for 30 years, taking a few months off for each of 4 babies. I taught Agricultural Science for one year at Cheltenham Girls High school. The subject was then discontinued so I taught biology.

At Kuringai High school, I was asked to teach chemistry which I did for the next 24 years. I retired at 55.

I was able to be a stay-at-home mum for our youngest son, Anthony, who was then 10. I did tuckshop duty and was able to attend school functions during the day. I was also able to concentrate on my riding as I was competing in dressage. I continued to tutor chemistry which I still do now.

The Faculty of Agriculture was small, so we were able to make close friendships. I remember a few of us watching the Moon landing at Bill Esler’s house in July 1969. I am still in regular contact with: Stephanie Lancaster, Margaret Sturday and Jill Wilson.

The Ag Faculty was very social. I remember going to many: Ag Formals and Bar-B-Grogs at Cobbity.

One year, I raced my own horse in the annual horse race! And the wine tastings were more correctly re-named as BEER tastings.

Thank you for asking me to talk tonight. Thinking about what to say has brought back so many wonderful memories!”