With the news recently of the illness and passing of one of those people that one is honoured to have met, this writer took out my huge history of Glengallan Homestead.
Mrs Joan Deuchar, whose name reminds us all of the builder of Glengallan bearing the same name, along with her daughter Gloria Craig (Deuchar), came to visit one day in November 1998 and I honour them both here.
My work for Glengallan began in 1994 and continued at the sales table until 1996 when a foot injury had me retire.
However in January 1997 a mass walkout of the entire team of volunteers had me return as tours co-ordinator.
Working with very little help, the arrival of two special family descendants all the way from Murwillumbah in New South Wales, along with their family friend Danny Daniels, was to allow tours to continue apace.
To see Gloria busy on whatever task was needed was to see the first Deuchar descendant since John who built the homestead, a sight to behold.
Together with her mother Joan they gathered strawberries from the leftovers in the fields in Murwillumbah, turning them into jam as fundraising continued.
They were alongside me when, for reasons impossible to comprehend, the homestead was closed down.
Coaches and all forward bookings cancelled, and to this very day the lights went out on what should have been a stunning reminder of a brilliant Scot who came to Australia as a 17-year-old to conquer the wool and short horn cattle breeding and to see the evolution in Queensland’s history from squatting runs to agricultural farms!
I salute our pioneers and their families who, like Deuchar, established the studs which link to the first free settlement of Queensland.
His homestead stands as his memorial to times when true history was made.
Farewell Joan, you were a treasure.
Melba Morris.
