RORY SALAZAR | Property | Contact
According to local octogenarians Barry and Marg Goldsmith, you cannot call yourself a local unless your family has lived in Betoota for at least 120 years.
By their own measure, that makes them both locals.
“Back round Federation time, if your family was of good conduct and disposition, the Crown would grant you land,” Barry said as he gave The Advocate a history lesson on the comings and goings of Betoota over the last 150 years.
“Course’ now folks buy land on the private market from other folks or developer-types,” Barry explained.
“But the size of land you get nowadays is tiny,” Marg added with concern. “It’s like that new subdivision that’s happening the next suburb over in Roma Hills. Tiny lots with big houses and no backyards.”
Nodding along in agreement to his wife of 51 years, Barry then went on to make the same points that Marg had just made, only with a deeper voice and the added certainty that comes from being a man who has never heard of the term ‘mansplaining’.
The sweet but morally old-fashioned couple compared to today’s standards went on to explain to The Advocate how terribly angry they are at not only this new subdivision but change in general.
“You used to be able to walk to the corner shop as a kid and buy cigarettes for your Dad and the proprietor knew you,” Barry said.
“And the milkman would deliver to your door each morning and you knew him and he knew you,” Marg followed.
“Now you walk down Daroo Street and there’s foreigners and Victorians and you don’t know who they are or what they’re up to,” said Barry.
“Everything is changing so fast,” Marg said fearfully.
“It’s true what they say about life. The further you get from youth, the quicker time goes.”
More to come.
