a celebration of culture and life in Higgins
Edition 3 - Short Story Competition EntriesFrom previous editionsFrom Owen E. (age 8 months) of Cook, ACT (Not a short story, but the best you're going to get out of me!!)  There once was a chap called Mc WiggansWho wanted to party in Higgins He alas had no cash To go somewhere so flash And ended up hitching to Smiggins 'Our visit to Higgins' from Rosemary P. of Victoria.  A highlight of our visitWas a self-conducted tour A drive through of the scenic sights of Higgins. A stop off at a garage sale Displaying fashions of Higgins over past decades Lace evening dresses were suspended from the Hills Hoist Matching patchwork doona covers and pillow slips Outgrown play equipment, a disused book case Magazines and romantic novels captured our gaze. Continuing through the leafy lanes of Higgins Ever onwards ever upwards Our ultimate experience, a walk through the park. Reluctantly leaving Higgins to return home. 'Commutin' Cockies' from Warren M of Higgins  ‘See ya honey, I’m off to work.’ ‘Seeya love. Have you got your lunch?’ ‘Nah, I’ll pick up something on the road.’ ‘Okay sweety. Hey now when are you going to clean out the hollow?’ ‘Whoa, gotta go. Here come the gang. I cant be late or Colin will give me a whippin.’ Norm joins the gang as they cross Drake Brockman Drive, bank over Higgins and turn to the west. He looks back over to his home, nestled in the paddocks behind Landsend. No matter how many times he’s seen it, he never tires of the view with its stately eucalypts, dried up dam beds and a smattering of sheep. ‘Hiya Frank.’ ‘Hey Norm. Whats new?’ ‘Not much. The Mrs is going on about the bloody hollow again.’ ‘Yeah, well maybe you should just pay someone to do it. That’s what I did this year, got the Mrs off me back no worries.’ ‘Yeah whatever. What are we doing today?’ ‘Heading over to Watson. Merv heard there’s some good fruit trees over there ready for the pickin. Owners are at work. Possums ‘ve all been relocated. Prime.’ ‘You ripper.’ Norm starts humming Lou Reed’s ‘A Perfect Day’ as they fly along The sun is shining, not a cloud in sight. With about 20 in the flock, an easy flight. As they fly over Downer, it starts to become clear that all is not as it should be. Leaves and branchlets littering the roadside, onion weed bulbs strewn all over the place. ‘Bloody galahs about,’ curses Colin, ‘Hang 8 everybody. Looks like where gonna have to fight for our lunch today. Pull in behind the observatory. We’re gonna have to work out a strategy.’  They start sketching a plan in
the dirt. Its something they’ve done many times before but
it never loses its excitement. This is what being a cocky is all
about. Its what they live for. Their hearts are pumping,
adrenaline is flowing.‘Marty, if you and Norm come in from here, Jack and Hester can slip around the back. Frank you fly overhead with Craig and Kenneth and take out….’ They are interrupted by a deafening cry. The sky goes dark as a flock of about 50 galahs screech high above them. They are moving quickly to the south, chunks of peach and apricot falling as they flee. ‘What the…’ cries Colin. ‘Bloody dogs again. Mission aborted. Lets get out of here’ They take to the sky and head back to the east. Home to Higgins, their bellies empty and their spirits low. It’s a tough life being a bird on the beat. ‘Hang on,’ shrieks Marty, ‘I spy some pistachios. Just on my right in that laneway off Kinsella St. And I reckon they’re ripe and ready.’ ‘There is a god,’ mutters Norm with a sigh of relief, ‘we’ll get a feed after all.’ ‘Hi honey Im home.’ ‘Hey sweety you’re home early. Maybe we could have go at cleaning out the hollow?’ ‘Frank says he’s not cleaning out his hollow this year so I don’t think we need to either. Lets go hang out on a stinkpole instead.’ From Edition 2 - A Bit of Higgins PoetryThanks to all the talented Higgins fans for their excellent entries in our Higgins poetry competition. Apologies to those not included (including the notably RUDE entry from Scullin).
Shanty of Higgins (Harriet from Bateman's Bay)
Rif: Three cheers for Henry!
Higgins Rap (Billy Shiraz-Compton no fixed address) |