Where The Shack may have been

entertained themselves with all aspects of design, construction and furnishing. The secret to The Shack’s structural integrity was the internal bracing provided by the timber bunks on either side of the doorway. Inside comfort was afforded only by chicken wire stretched across the bunk bed frames. ‘Pallet’ windows were thrown open to reveal a pleasant view over a dry creek bed and to provide additional breeze. Outdoor furnishing consisted solely of a vinyl car seat – the lounge. Hurricane lanterns gave adequate lighting at night. A rusted tractor step tread provided a useful grate over the camp fire. Whilst memories have faded, by Easter 1979 I can say for sure that the Shack was ready for occupancy with the two lads spending the Easter long-weekend. As they say, “build it and they will come” - broader social networking was inevitable. However it was not a short pushbike ride from Aspley to Eaton's Hill, even on a ten-speed, so it really wasn’t until car licences were acquired two or three years later that The Shack became a more popular destination with school mates. The older of the young lads left school early but was known to visit The Shack on the odd occasion. The younger lad, now known as Kenny Koala, introduced many to the treck down to The Shack from Church Road. A more memorable visit was a night in late 1981, after school had finished. A number of lads stumbled through the bush, lighting the way with a candelabra – good forward thinking. The Shack was quite intact. In fact there was a pair of lace knickers adorning the doorway – obviously just a ‘calling card’ as there are limits to the stresses and strains chicken wire can withstand. There was the odd visit to The Shack after that, but soon the structure was left to the forces of nature and urban encroachment. Terry stumbled across the remains in 1991 and, by his account, the “chicken wire bunk beds were still as good as the day they were made”, giving credit to the designers. Since then, the site has become expensive real-estate. Now there has been a ‘regathering’ with two of the lads answering Kenny Koala’s challenge to find the site of The Shack and to rekindle the spirit of adventure and social in*******se. At “Where the Shack may have been” the three lads, now in their late 40s, have thus far, and quite independently, pinned down the site to within a few streets. Plans are afoot to locate the site of The Shack more accurately and hopefully gain forensic proof. Whilst there is talk of nominating the site as one of cultural heritage, there is also talk of making a new shack. If you are concerned about urban encroachment, concerned about the younger generation’s reliance on electronic networking, maybe you are a concerned resident of Eaton's Hill or a past visitor to The Shack, perhaps you are just wondering what the hell these lads are up to now, show your support by hitting the ‘Like’ button. Follow our deliberations and progress on this Page and feel free to join us by adding comments, questions or advice. If you were a visitor to The Shack feel free to enrich this Page by sharing your experiences. You never know where this will end up. We, as the Page Administrators, certainly have no idea at this stage, but we're having a good laugh along the way.