I had no intention of upsetting Nana’s move to Bathurst, a hot and dusty outback drive from her hometown of Young in New South Wales, Australia. I was only four after all.

In a bold move, Nana - real name Hazel Barker - had agreed to help take care of myself and Robyn, aged six, my very sensible sister.

No-nonsense Hazel had been offered a bedroom in our newly built, three-bedroom brick veneer house in the glinting Australian suburban sun, forgoing her pleasant, Victorian-style town house in the “cherry town” of Young 100 miles away. The area was deeply rural and unusually has ample irrigation for crops. Young, incidentally, is the town of my birth, and if you like cherries, you can dine out there.

Hazel, a widow leading a quiet, solitary but pleasant existence, couldn’t have foreseen the challenges that would await her.

Our new house was near the bottom of a steep hill. My favourite trick was to push my toy pedal car about 20 yards up the roughly tarred road, jump back on board, and then rip down the slope. It was fast!

On one particular day, I belted down the road again -- only this time I kept going, careening across a grass verge, before sliding 20 feet down the side of a dry creek. I hit the bottom, with a bang.

Wow! I couldn’t believe what had happened. I’m in a creek! I’d always wondered what was down there.

“Nana!” I shouted. “Robyn!” Anyone!

I tried in vain to climb out with my car but was wedged inside. As it was, the ravine sides were steep, and the car was heavy. I wasn’t going anywhere.

After what felt like a day but in reality was probably more like a couple of hours, Nana and Robyn appeared at the top of the ravine. Thankfully I’d been missed and a search party was underway.

Nana, for once virtually speechless, managed to make it down the ravine and dragged me -- and the car -- back up to safe ground. I was lucky to escape with just a few cuts and bruises.

“Wait until your father sees you!” she muttered.

I didn’t know what she meant.

I had only one thing in mind: to conquer that hill, again!

It wouldn’t be long before Nana returned to cherry town, and I went on to have further vehicular misadventures.

ENDS

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