JUNO, I COULDN'T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE

"I always said that if they installed traffic lights in Alice Springs I'd move to a smaller place."

Malcolm McCaskill, lifelong Territorian
explains why he likes living far from the madding crowd

Well, I was born in Alice Springs in 1940, I did schooling in Alice up to intermediate standard - my hobbie has always been horses. I started my own electrical contracting business in 1961, operated for ten years then I sold out and moved to Tenant Creek in 1973. In Alice I joined APEX for four years and was service and social director and also a foundation member of the Alice Springs Saddle Horse Club. I always said that if they installed traffic lights in Alice Springs I'd move to a smaller place. Tennant Creek seemed to be the spot to go.
I arrived in Tennant Creek with two horses and on trying to buy seed I was told Alice was the nearest place. This wasn't suitable so in 1976 I called a public meeting to start off the Tennant Creek Saddle Horse Club. We started our own seed store as there was no seed store in town. We established it in an old Army Hut where the Squash Courts are today. I was elected the first president, a post I kept for four years and I was also made the first life member in 1980.
I started a men's fashion store called Man's World and also Tennant Creek's first coin-operated Laudromat where Jackson's Bar now stands. Man's World was also where part of Jackson's Bar is too.

When did Juno start?
I purchased land in 1981, to start off Juno Horse Centre and I joined Rotary as a charter member in 1982, member for 5 years. I also joined the Show Society and the Race Club, became financial life member of both of these clubs. In 1987 because of a Land Claim on Juno Horse Centre, which covered my Dam and my Dam Yards, I thought I can't win this, so I moved to Darwin and established the Rapid Creek Laundromat. In 1991 I received a letter from the government to say that the land claim had been withdrawn so then I sold the laundromat and moved back to Tennant Creek in 1992 to complete Juno Horse Centre and also to establish the coach camping ground which we're doing now for campers. I also teach children how to ride and take tourists out during the week and do the cattle drive, breakfast rides and overnight camping.

What made you come to Tennant Creek?
I just thought Alice was getting too big, I'd done the contracting for 10 years, so I decided to come here.

What made you want to live away from everybody else?
People in town would cut off their right arm to live out here! But there is no more land left, that's what's wrong. What drove me to live out bush was the noise of the dogs and the fighting in town - they used to call Sheelite Crescent the ghetto. I moved out here for peace and quiet.
I bought this land in 1981. The town boundary used to be out past Peko, the government moved the town boundary out I think in about 1979. But then the High Court decided in 1985 that it was illegal to shift the town boundary out. So then the town boundary came back in to the little tiny town boundary it is. This land was in the town planning boundary.

What about the mines back in the early seventies?
That's another reason why I came here. They were going to start the smelter up, the meatworks were gettiing ready to start up, all the mines were booming. Warrego etc, it was the place to make money in those days.

So was the town much bigger in the seventies?
Well the town had one narrow strip of bitumen down the main street. When it rained I had to put plastic in my shop for when people were walking around. They reckon you used to have take a water bag around with you on really hot days to get from the Tennant Creek Hotel down to the Goldfields, otherwise you'd die of thirst going across that track. There was no greenery, just bitumen down the centre, maybe a couple of trees.

Why did they build the shops so far apart on the main street?
So they could turn a horse and a wagon around in the main street - to turn a horse and wagon round you had to have it that wide. So that's supposed to be one of the answers, I've heard that they followed what was presumably supposed to be the edge of the road, easement of the road, at one stage. But I reckon the wagon story is fair enough because if you've got a wagon on the main street and you want to turn the other way, you can't just turn it like a car. When I was used to come here contracting I was 16, and where Tommy Uren lived, opposite Westpac bank and swimming pool, that was about the only brick house in town, all the rest were wrought iron. That was one of the nicest houses in town at the time, all brick.
In those days when we used to have a shower, they were all spring taps, and you used to have to crop a bit of wood to jam the tap on. As soon as you'd let go of the tap to soap yourself it'd go BOING!! and shut off. You had to fill up your water tank with water from Cabbage Gum; halfway through your shower your water might run out, you'd be all soaped up and it would just go into a drip!! There were very few air conditioners round town.

Did they have town power on in those days?
Yes, only a little power house though, it was only an old diesel you know, not like the big turbines they've got out there now.

What about clubs?, what did people do here after hours?
Well, with the mines all going and that, Goldfields and the Tennant Creek Hotel were just booming with miners and Peko was also going at the time and the whole town was lit up like a christmas tree; all those mines were just thumping away, it was beautiful. The Eldorado was still going too. We used to go out there when they had two-up every Saturday night, illegal two-up, you know, you'd all roar into the bush.
I remember there were these two blokes who came up from Alice, who cut pennies in half and stuck them together to make double-headed pennies. And anyway they were going up and all of a sudden one of the miners got a bit suspicious of these two slippery blokes from Alice and one bloke goes, "There's something wrong with those pennies!" Quick as a flash this bloke from Alice Springs ran over to the bit of canvas they had and picked up the two coins and said, "Well bring your own then!" and threw them into the bush! The bloke supplied some new pennies and they were saved.

What have you got on these days?
I'll be riding again in the winter, from about April right throught to December. And then I close it down and let the paddocks and horses spell themselves for awhile. The tourist buses come in for most of the year, all year round, but the riding is what I enjoy most because it's my hobby.
When the tourists come out here, a group will organise a trail ride, some will go for a swim, cause they pull in at 5:30pm, and leave at 8:00. Then we point out what stars are out, using the star chart, they have a camp fire and then I do a horse display, with the cutting horse. I crack a whip and let them have a go too. So they get a good evening's bit of entertainment. I teach people how to ride, give riding lessons to locals and children on Saturday mornings. I've also done an Aboriginal Training School. I taught them how to ride, brand cattle, saddle horses and shoe horses.
I've been riding horses since I was 8 or 9. Learnt it all on my own, picked it up as I went along. I have attended horse riding schools, in the last 10 years to learn under the expert. I still don't consider myself an expert.

"I always said that if they installed traffic lights in Alice Springs I'd move to a smaller place." Malcolm McCaskill, lifelong Territorian explains why he likes living far from the madding crowd Well, I was born in Alice Springs in 1940, I did schooling in Alice up to intermediate standard - my hobbie has always been horses. I started my own electrical contracting business in 1961, operated for ten years then I sold out and moved to Tenant Creek in 1973. In Alice I joined APEX for four years and was service and social director and also a foundation member of the Alice Springs Saddle Horse Club. I always said that if they installed traffic lights in Alice Springs I'd move to a smaller place. Tennant Creek seemed to be the spot to go. I arrived in Tennant Creek with two horses and on trying to buy seed I was told Alice was the nearest place. This wasn't suitable so in 1976 I called a public meeting to start off the Tennant Creek Saddle Horse Club. We started our own seed store as there was no seed store in town. We established it in an old Army Hut where the Squash Courts are today. I was elected the first president, a post I kept for four years and I was also made the first life member in 1980. I started a men's fashion store called Man's World and also Tennant Creek's first coin-operated Laudromat where Jackson's Bar now stands. Man's World was also where part of Jackson's Bar is too. When did Juno start? I purchased land in 1981, to start off Juno Horse Centre and I joined Rotary as a charter member in 1982, member for 5 years. I also joined the Show Society and the Race Club, became financial life member of both of these clubs. In 1987 because of a Land Claim on Juno Horse Centre, which covered my Dam and my Dam Yards, I thought I can't win this, so I moved to Darwin and established the Rapid Creek Laundromat. In 1991 I received a letter from the government to say that the land claim had been withdrawn so then I sold the laundromat and moved back to Tennant Creek in 1992 to complete Juno Horse Centre and also to establish the coach camping ground which we're doing now for campers. I also teach children how to ride and take tourists out during the week and do the cattle drive, breakfast rides and overnight camping. What made you come to Tennant Creek? I just thought Alice was getting too big, I'd done the contracting for 10 years, so I decided to come here. What made you want to live away from everybody else? People in town would cut off their right arm to live out here! But there is no more land left, that's what's wrong. What drove me to live out bush was the noise of the dogs and the fighting in town - they used to call Sheelite Crescent the ghetto. I moved out here for peace and quiet. I bought this land in 1981. The town boundary used to be out past Peko, the government moved the town boundary out I think in about 1979. But then the High Court decided in 1985 that it was illegal to shift the town boundary out. So then the town boundary came back in to the little tiny town boundary it is. This land was in the town planning boundary. What about the mines back in the early seventies? That's another reason why I came here. They were going to start the smelter up, the meatworks were gettiing ready to start up, all the mines were booming. Warrego etc, it was the place to make money in those days. So was the town much bigger in the seventies? Well the town had one narrow strip of bitumen down the main street. When it rained I had to put plastic in my shop for when people were walking around. They reckon you used to have take a water bag around with you on really hot days to get from the Tennant Creek Hotel down to the Goldfields, otherwise you'd die of thirst going across that track. There was no greenery, just bitumen down the centre, maybe a couple of trees. Why did they build the shops so far apart on the main street? So they could turn a horse and a wagon around in the main street - to turn a horse and wagon round you had to have it that wide. So that's supposed to be one of the answers, I've heard that they followed what was presumably supposed to be the edge of the road, easement of the road, at one stage. But I reckon the wagon story is fair enough because if you've got a wagon on the main street and you want to turn the other way, you can't just turn it like a car. When I was used to come here contracting I was 16, and where Tommy Uren lived, opposite Westpac bank and swimming pool, that was about the only brick house in town, all the rest were wrought iron. That was one of the nicest houses in town at the time, all brick. In those days when we used to have a shower, they were all spring taps, and you used to have to crop a bit of wood to jam the tap on. As soon as you'd let go of the tap to soap yourself it'd go BOING!! and shut off. You had to fill up your water tank with water from Cabbage Gum; halfway through your shower your water might run out, you'd be all soaped up and it would just go into a drip!! There were very few air conditioners round town. Did they have town power on in those days? Yes, only a little power house though, it was only an old diesel you know, not like the big turbines they've got out there now. What about clubs?, what did people do here after hours? Well, with the mines all going and that, Goldfields and the Tennant Creek Hotel were just booming with miners and Peko was also going at the time and the whole town was lit up like a christmas tree; all those mines were just thumping away, it was beautiful. The Eldorado was still going too. We used to go out there when they had two-up every Saturday night, illegal two-up, you know, you'd all roar into the bush. I remember there were these two blokes who came up from Alice, who cut pennies in half and stuck them together to make double-headed pennies. And anyway they were going up and all of a sudden one of the miners got a bit suspicious of these two slippery blokes from Alice and one bloke goes, "There's something wrong with those pennies!" Quick as a flash this bloke from Alice Springs ran over to the bit of canvas they had and picked up the two coins and said, "Well bring your own then!" and threw them into the bush! The bloke supplied some new pennies and they were saved. What have you got on these days? I'll be riding again in the winter, from about April right throught to December. And then I close it down and let the paddocks and horses spell themselves for awhile. The tourist buses come in for most of the year, all year round, but the riding is what I enjoy most because it's my hobby. When the tourists come out here, a group will organise a trail ride, some will go for a swim, cause they pull in at 5:30pm, and leave at 8:00. Then we point out what stars are out, using the star chart, they have a camp fire and then I do a horse display, with the cutting horse. I crack a whip and let them have a go too. So they get a good evening's bit of entertainment. I teach people how to ride, give riding lessons to locals and children on Saturday mornings. I've also done an Aboriginal Training School. I taught them how to ride, brand cattle, saddle horses and shoe horses. I've been riding horses since I was 8 or 9. Learnt it all on my own, picked it up as I went along. I have attended horse riding schools, in the last 10 years to learn under the expert. I still don't consider myself an expert.		Jackson't store, next to where Priester's is today. Transport comes in all forms at Juno. From the equine to the ridiculous! Malcolm talking to Gemma across his super-long dining table.