Amy’s beloved Branxholm years
• Amy Reeve in the garden of her Branxholm home.
• Arriving at her grandson’s wedding via helicopter is one of Amy Reeve’s treasured memories. Photo supplied.
By Daisy Baker
January 20, 2021
Amy Reeve has lived in Branxholm for nearly 60 years, during which she’s developed a fondness for the town where she raised her family, ran a business and has been an active member of the community.
Mrs Reeve was born at Warrentinna, where she lived for eight years before her family relocated to Branxholm.
She said life in those days was much simpler.
“When I was growing up we made our own fun. We didn’t have cars to tear around in like they have today,” she said.
“We used to go for picnics and walks in the bush. It was great.
“Of course, they had the dances in those days, at the hall down here. They were very popular.”
During the 1950s when she was 15 she met the love of her life, Frederick Charles Ockley Reeve, who was known to many people as ‘Ockie’.
“Branxholm was a small town and we all knew each other,” she said.
“He drove his father’s school bus, bought the children from the Forester to the Branxholm school here and I met him then.”
They got married in 1956 and they had many happy years together before he passed away in 2017.
“He was my best friend all that time,” she said fondly.
The couple spent three years living in St Helens, where Mr Reeve worked as a mechanic at Tuckers Garage.
When they returned to Branxholm, they decided to start a service station of their own, which was a first for the town.
From 1971 to 1994, the Reeves ran it as a family business before selling it and retiring.
“We only had Christmas Day and Good Friday off in those times,” Mrs Reeve said.
“We didn’t get many holidays but we were happy to spend our time there – that’s where we met all of our friends.”
Mrs Reeve said when her sons were growing up, the town’s pool wasn’t what it is today.
“It was just cement and water out of the river so a band of us young mothers used to go down every fortnight and broom it out and now of course they don’t have to do that – it’s a beautiful pool,” she said.
Amidst everything, Mrs Reeve also volunteered her time as an ambulance driver for around 10 years from the 70s.
She was one of four women on call throughout the day to get the ambulance garaged at Derby and pick up patients from surrounding towns, including Ringarooma, Pioneer, Winnaleah and Gladstone.
“There was a very bad accident at Cape Portland one time and I had a police escort there – I didn’t know I could drive so fast,” she laughed.
“It was the fastest I’ve ever driven but I never got booked for speeding because I had the police in front of me. That was an experience in itself.
“It was rewarding. When you go to pick people up they’re agitated and not well and you can calm them down.
“You had to have first aid experience and a good driving record. If there was anything really urgent you’d have a nurse there with you but we were just mainly drivers and pacifiers.”
For the past 20 odd years, Mrs Reeve has been attending day care at the hospital, where she has enjoyed meeting others in a similar age group and the same circumstances.
Family is the centre of Mrs Reeve’s life and she enjoys spending time with her two sons, four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
“Our children and grandchildren were always encouraged to bring their friends here so now whenever their friends are passing through, they stop in to visit me too.”
For her 80th birthday, Mrs Reeve’s family bought her a helicopter ride for three people.
In 2015 when her grandson Ahmad got married, she still hadn’t used the voucher so her, her son Tony and Ahmad all arrived at the wedding together via helicopter, which remains one of her treasured memories.
She has lived in the same home for the past 55 years and she doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.
“It’s not a new home by any means and it hasn’t got all the mod cons but we bought it, did it up, did quite a few extensions and to me it’s home,” she said.
“All the children still love coming here.”
Mrs Reeve said while she doesn’t know many local residents, she still loves the town and has made many fond memories there over the years.