Helen Scaife’s family has been staying at their shack since her father Frank (known as Skeeter) built it. She remembers dances, movies, and musical evenings with the piano, squeezebox, and mouth organ. She recalls many people who holidayed at the park, some elderly people who lived there, and how the resident NPWS rangers collected $1 rents on Sundays and enjoyed a beer at the shacks. Helen’s brother Frank called Bonnie Vale ‘Happy Valley’ and asked that his ashes be scattered there after he died.

Listen to Helen’s Interview

Helen’s audio interview can be downloaded here.

Helen’s interview transcript.

Keywords

Bonnie Vale – Camping – Shack – Music – NPWS – Movies – Dances

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Helen’s Photo Album

Helen and her daughter Rachel inside the shack

Helen and her daughter Rachel

Family gathering outside the shack

Family gathering outside the shack

Family gathering outside the shack

Helen and her cousin Marilyn inside the shack

Helen with her brothers and father (Skeeter).

Bonnie Vale Wharf (Courtesy Sutherland Library)

Helen and her granddaughter Layla

The Shack

Helen’s brother Frank, mother Stella and niece Bianca