In 1930’s fictional Australian rural town of Willow Vale. Baddar, a wild hearted 7 years old, would tell you he is special. Because of his dual heritage (his father is the son of the last Afghan cameleer and his wife, Rose, an aboriginal woman,) Baddar knew he was destined for more than his little town.
Bored of small-town life and overwhelmed by childlike curiosity, his ancestor’s tales of tribesmen and cameleers is all he needs to fuel his imagination.
The railway, agriculture and the nearby coal mines are the main employment opportunities in the town. Willow Vale Rural school is a rural school. There are 2 grades in each class and is staffed by four teachers.
The story follows the adventures of 4 of the children from Willow Vale. Baddar and his sister Delari are special people. There are the children of the Muslim son of the last Afghan cameleer and his Christian wife, Rose, (an aboriginal who was raised by missionaries). Beddar (pronounced bed-are) is a typical 7-year boy. and is in grade 2 at Willow Vale Rural School. Beddar has a mischievous streak although he is what could be described as “the naughty little boy that every mother would fall in love with.”
His older sister Delari is a 9 year old girl who is in grade 6 at Willow Vale Rural school. She is protective of her younger brother, Baddar, although she thinks that like all boys, he smells. Like Baddar, Delari is enormously proud of her heritage (Aboriginal and Afghan).
Baddar is frustrated by his aboriginal grandfather’ not allowing him to go on walkabout until he is older. He convinces his best friend Billy, to go on a walkabout with him. Over several days they appear to be lost, but they had a great time. Billy is a typical 7 year old, Billy is adventouous far beyond his years.Although he would never admit it, he looks up to his best friend Baddar, and they are often in trouble together.
Realising that Baddar is confused by his duel heritage, the Charmchi family goes on a mini camel caravan with their Afghan grandfather. An accident happens, and Delari’s leg is in a cast during a school exchange visit to the Bulling Beach School.
Delari’s best friend is Freda Frost, an eight-year-old girl who is also in grade 6 Willow Vale Primary School. Billy is 2 years younger than Freda and always makes a mess, and Freda(reluctly) usually has to help him clean up.
Hamill Charmchi is the head of the Charmchi family whose father was the last of the Afghan Cameleers that drove camel trains, between Maree and Alice Springs.He oversees the freight yard at Willow Vale Railway Station.
He was working at the Maree rail terminal, when some of his aboriginal friends introduced him to Rose. He fell in love with her and eventually they were married in Willow Vale. Rose was placed in a mission station as a young girl and is now a very devoted Christian. She is also an elder in the Jabari tribe and maintains a close relationship with the tribe and especially her father.
Retired Traffic Management Project Manager and one of Amazon bestselling author, Gordon, has spent most of his life in sales, public transport and traffic management. Born on 18th May 1945 in the Sydney suburb of Camperdown, while his father was away fighting in World War 2.
Though he had been to school in Leichardt, his primary education began mainly at West Melbourne School after his family moved to Melbourne. Gordon has some notable certificates to his name; In 1998, he received the Certificate of Transport Management from Queensland University. He also received the Certificate IV in Project Management.
Gordon has three sons with his first wife and now has four grandchildren. He married his current wife, Kay, in Brisbane in 2003, and she has been his inspiration ever since.
Gordon has enjoyed the luxury of residing and working in different parts of Australia and in the process enjoyed different employment opportunities. This great working experience in the public transportation industry and then civil construction came to an awesome end in 2013 as he retired at Caloundra, Queensland.
After retirement, he took an interest in researching his family. This research helped him discover links back to the 1400’s and even a distant link to the Royal family of the United Kingdom. Also, during this research, he discovered he had relatives who fought in the Great War. Though he was familiar with his relatives in the 2nd World War, he knew nothing about the men in his family who had fought in the Great War.
This research and discovery gave him knowledge and ideas which brought about the writing of his first book “A family that went to war”. After publishing his first book, other books sprang up easily. His second book was “An Australian story” – the saga of an Australian family over two centuries. In this book, he wrote about Australia early settlement and the events that made Australia and the makings of a family. Amazingly, this book sat on the Amazon best selling list for the Kindle history of Australia and Oceania for about 10 days, giving him further inspiration as he wrote his third book within a calendar year. His third book “The Ministry Communications Unit” is pure fiction based on a fictitious movie company set up by the Government during World War 2. He based a lot of this story around the locations that surround Caloundra.
He next took on a fictional novel “Lady Ruth Bromfield” an inspirational biography about a Jewish girl, raised by an English, Church of England priest and her progress to becoming an inspirational leading industrialist.
His book “Men With a Mission is an eye-opening account of events in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the 1969’s and 1970’s. The main players in this story are a Christian, A Jew and a Muslim who were brought together by an astute Australian Officer and made them into a significant group of investigators.
His next book The Sensual Retiree” a romance story about a woman whose husband dies shortly after he retires. The story follows her life transitioning into a widow who moves into a retirement village. She makes new friends and discovers that it is possible for a widow in her sixties and seventies to be able to enjoy the company of male suitors.
He followed up with “The Aboriginal Cameleer” a story about a small Australian town during the late 1930s. Although originally aimed at older children, this book has a wider appeal.
His latest effort Karanja Run.
Karanja Run is a family owned cattle station located in the Channel country of north Queensland, it is located about 200 km north of Birdsville and is approx. 4,500 square kilometres in size
Stephen Fitzsimmons inherited the station from his father ten years after marrying Eileen. A tough, no-nonsense man with a love of his country only exceeded by the love of his family. Eileen is the mother of 3 children, Gloria. Giles and Allison. Runs the household with a firm, but loving hand.
Our story starts with the expulsion of Allison after being discovered in a compromising position with another girl. Allison always claimed that it was an innocent incident, but the shame of a same-sex relationship haunted her. She returned to “Karanja Run”. After a short, while her father sent her to be trained as a helicopter pilot working with the cattle movements on “Karanja Run.” After a short-lived romance with a station hand she is recruited as a helicopter pilot by the Volunteer Emergency and Search Agency (known generally as VESA).”
Her sister, Gloria trains as a nurse and eventually becomes a Flying Doctor nurse. Their brother Giles prepares to take over and run the family station.
After several rescue operations Allison and her crew are kidnapped by a crime syndicate.
Her subsequent rescue from an Asian jungle location is a gripping adventure on its own.
Returning from a normal; Flying Doctor mission, Gloria’s aircraft runs into a bad storm, drifts well of course then crashes into the thick bush. Her pilot eventually dies from his injuries while Gloria uses all her survival skills waiting for a rescue.
Enduring bushfires and floods all contribute to each other’s strength of character.
Our story concludes with Giles dying in a flood leaving his wife and his sisters to look after Karanja Run.
Gordon has been able to utilise his knowledge gained while in the army, driving taxis (he actually became the Victorian Taxi driver of the year at one stage,) along with his vast knowledge of the Civil construction industry in his writings.
This book will open the world of fiction to a whole new level. Gordon feels that this will be his greatest book with a wide area of interest.
For more, visit www.gordontraffic.com.
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Gordon Smith Story Teller 