A few days ago, we made a quick trip back to my hometown, Shepparton, to visit my mother and do a few jobs around the house for her. I don’t go back there often, at the best of times, but this visit was the first since December 2019, due to the pandemic.
I was born in Shepparton, and lived there until I was 52, when I moved to Bendigo, about two hours away. I love Bendigo, where I still live, and feel no homesickness at all for Shepparton. However, it was interesting to take the time to look around, and realise how much the city has changed.
Moooving Art
Shepparton was always most well known for being the home of stone fruit, being surrounded by orchards growing peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines, plums and more. In recent years, it’s also become increasingly well known for its Moooving Art, which is a display of hand painted fibreglass cows, scattered at various places around the city.
“Greater Shepparton’s Moooving Art Cows are an iconic part of the Greater Shepparton landscape. Scattered throughout the municipality Moooving Art is an ever-changing public art exhibition using a unique canvas – 3D life sized cows!”
At one entry point, a herd of these cows are spread around a lake with a fountain. It’s a lovely welcome to visitors. The cows are displayed around the CBD, in front of businesses, in parks, on poles and at the Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre. They are also on display in various small towns in the Greater Shepparton area.
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is a huge man-made lake, situated almost in the centre of town. We were always taught at school that it was the largest man made lake in the Southern Hemisphere, but I’m sure that’s no longer the case. As a teenager, I spent many hours with friends at the lake, just hanging out and watching the speed boats and skiers. Behind the lake was the swimming pool, which was huge, with a sandy floor. Today, it is much different, being divided into smaller concreted pools. I can’t help thinking how lucky we were to have been able to have fun in the more natural pool. But I suppose every generation thinks the same about their younger years.
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria Foreshore
The photo, below, is the swimming pool, exactly as I remember it. I was never brave enough to jump from the top of the tower, or even from the bottom level. I do remember spending hours watching kids braver than me, throw themselves off. I was always terrified for them, and relieved when they popped up from under the water.
Shepparton High School
I was keen to drive past my old school, as I had heard that it was being rebuilt, and would be unrecognisable to me. I was told that when completed, it will cater to about 3000 students, which shocks me. There were about 800 students, when I was there, and at the time, I thought it was huge. As we drove past, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Most of the school, except for the front building, had been demolished and huge, modern buildings were in their place .
Don’t get me wrong, this visit wasn’t nostalgic for me. It wasn’t a case of me wanting to revisit my school years, to relive happy memories. I didn’t like school very much at all. Hate is a word that I don’t like to use, otherwise I would say that I “hated” school. The best part of school for me was the bike ride, there and back, every day. I did that for all of my school life including primary school.
As far as favourite subjects are concerned, I enjoyed English, shorthand and typing. I was very good at these subjects and always received good marks, which is why I probably enjoyed them. Everything else, I was hopeless at and didn’t care. As a teenager, I couldn’t see any point in the other subjects and really didn’t try. I always received average marks in these subjects, and can’t help wondering what marks I would have received, had I tried a bit harder.
I was never naughty or disruptive. I just sat quietly and day dreamed of getting out on my bike, at the end of the day. One of my boys was exactly like me, so when he had a few issues about his attitude at school, I understood exactly how he felt. Looking back now, I do wish that I had put in more effort at school. Who knows how that could have altered the projectory of my life. That’s not at all meant as a complaint about my life.
The top photo (below) was taken in the early days of the school’s life. The second photo shows the school, exactly as I remember it.
Below are the front gates at Shepparton High School, that were installed in 1948, to commemorate former pupils of the school, who served in World Wars One and Two and lists the names of those who lost their lives in both conflicts.
I remember these gates well, as they stand at the entrance to the school, and I walked through them every day. Just inside the gates is a lawn area with large trees. We would sit under those trees at lunch break in the summer most days. I am very ashamed to say that I did not know the story behind the gates until the day I wrote this post. I had no idea that these gates were a war memorial.
monument.org
I couldn’t take a photo of the gates or front of the school, due to it being a building site.
We had a nice time driving around Shepparton, but I couldn’t help thinking how much it has changed since I left. I love where I live now and have no yearning at all to ever go back.
Does anything in my post trigger any memories of your younger life or your hometown? Id love to hear your thought and promise to reply to all comments left.
This post is linked to Denyse’s Life This Week and Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share
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Hi Jen – I really liked the cows – we have them in various towns throughout the SW of WA and I’ve seen several different types of animals painted up and used for the same purpose on Pinterest (including flamingoes – which were pretty cool).
It’s always interesting to go back to our old stomping grounds and to see what’s the same and what’s completely changed and I’m glad you got to spend some time with your Mum after such a long time away (darn covid!)
Ooh flamingoes! They would be very cool. It was an interesting trip back down memory lane
What a lovely area Jen. I’ve not seen that part of Victoria but remember learning about Apples and Shepparton at school. I didn’t realise you still had your Mum so lovely for you to visit her now that COVID is easing in Victoria. I love the painted cows, we have something similar with Borobi the Koala who was the mascot for the Commonwealth Games held here a couple of years ago. #lifethisweek
Hi Sue Mum is fit and well at age 85. I’d expect her to be around for a long while yet. Chris and I are still kicked down here due to his underlying illness so we probably won’t get to see her for a while again. We shouldn’t have gone this time, but I felt that we all needed a catch-up
I enjoyed your post Jen! I reminds me of my recent visit back to Warwick where I lived for a year when I was in Year 3. We drove past the house where I lived, the school I went to, and the house where my grandmother lived. It was a nostalgic visit but it was not the town where I spent my entire childhood – just a year – though we visited there a lot because my grandmother lived there. It’s interesting that you say your best subjects at school were English, Typing and Shorthand because those were mine too and I was pretty average at everything else! Maybe us bloggers are a ‘type’? BTW – I love the mooooving art!
You could be right about us bloggers Min. It’s funny when I’ve been home to visit Mum it’s never occurred to me to look around at how things have changed. I’m pleased I did, if only to confirm that leaving was a good decision 😂
It’s a shame you haven’t been able to get home more often, but as you said, you don’t miss the place. I was the same re my hometown but returned regularly to see my folks though they did come to Brisbane quite a bit (and Canberra when I lived there, and FNQ when I lived there).
I love the cows – so colourful!!!
It’s been a bit difficult to get back home too often, I’ve always worked long hours and I had to try to start a new life here by myself. You’ve lived in some great places
It’s very cool going back, I think. When I was younger we moved every 2-3 years (mostly through country NSW) so there’s nowhere really that I think of as a hometown.
Hi Jo I always envied my school friends who had moved around. My sisters are still in my hometown but I got out 😂 It did cause a bit of a kerfuffle at the time
Hi Jen, those cows are really cool! What an interesting look back at your home town this was and it gave more of an insight into your early life. I’m always interested in these sorts of stories as it helps me understand the person that little bit more. I’m glad you could visit your mum, it’s been tough for families over the past year hasn’t it? Great post! #lifethisweek
Hi Deb, yes it has been a tough year for families. I’m hanging out to see my children and grandchildren. But I know I’ve said that before. Hopefully soon
Like others before me, I love the cows. I serve in a very rural area and most of my parishioners are dairy farmers or retired dairy farmers. I think I will share your post for them. My experience of my home town is quite different from yours, but not to say it was idyllic. It takes courage I think, to move away and make a new life for yourself. Glad that you were able to make this visit despite COVID. Knowing you from your posts, there was nothing reckless about the decision. Blessings, Michele #Lifethisweek
Thanks for your lovely comments. I agree it’s tough to move to a new city. I was very fortunate to choose a city that was perfect for me. I’m glad you like the cows
Oh wow…I was just in Shepparton this weekend gone visiting my housemates mum who is 84. I now have moved to Albury and on Saturday it was my youngest birthday (she turned 40 – Jennifer is intellectually disabled) I spent an hour or two with her then drove to Shepparton to stay the night before coming home. I lived in Shepparton for a short time from 2016 – 2017. Marj his mum mentioned the high school where one of her boys went. I took a wrong turn and ended up driving past the school. Its going to be huge isnt it. Sunday I took a stroll around the lake with Marj’s dog. Greg often talks about the pool as it used to be.
What a coincidence Bree! Nobody I know ever goes to Shepparton. You’re right, the high school is massive. I could inagine it being very intimidating for some kids. I would have been one of them. I noticed you were living at Albury. It’s a lovely city.
Thanks for the trip to your hometown! Loved the cow art! 😀
Thanks for visiting again Sanch
Your post was a lovely trip down memory lane and helped me get to know you more.
Thank you so much for sharing. One of my Melbs twitter friends, Kylie Ladd, is an author and a neuropsychologist and works in and around Shepparton and asked us recently to keep on buying the products from there. We do!
I love going back to where I had my teen years each time I see my Dad. I don’t hanker for the places but smile at the many memories.
Thank you for sharing your post in Life This Week, the Monday link up on my blog. Each Monday, there is an optional prompt but you can link up a post (just one) old or new, on or off prompt. Next week’s is 4/51 Cannot. 25 Jan.Hope to see you back here then. Denyse.
Good to hear you’re supporting Shepparton Denyse. I did enjoy our little trip back there
I’m glad you were able to make it “home” to see your mother Jennifer, and thank you for sharing your hometown with us. I really enjoyed the Moooving Art Cows. That reminds me of a funny story. On the way to the cabin we used to have, there is a statue of a life-size cow, only it is painted black and from a distance looks quite real. Often, there is a hat or a scarf draped over it, which helps to distinguish it as a statue, but one day when our son-in-law Buddy was driving up with his family, the cow was “naked,” and he thought it was real so he quickly braked…only to have the children tease him mercilessly. After that, we always called it Buddy’s cow.
Thanks for the laugh Christie. Sounds like Buddy isn’t going to live that down for a while. Thanks for popping in again
Jennifer, I’m glad you were able to visit your Mum and took a tour of your home town to see what’s changed. A high school with 3000 students is massive. I assume some of the students would have to travel far from neighbouring towns to get to the school. The cows are cool. We had a similar art event for a while but the animals were big, life sized moose 🙂
Thank you for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare. If you could mention the link-up name somewhere in your post, I’d greatly appreciate it.
Hi Natalie
You’re right many of the students come from neighbouring towns. I would think it would be quite daunting for some. Oh I did mean to link to you. Thanks for the reminder. Off to do it now
It sure is nostalgic visiting ones hometown. I’ve been pondering about what town I would call my hometown. The town I was born in and moved away from at age 4? The town where I spent most of my childhood? Or the nearby town where I went to college? Or any of the favourite places I’ve lived as an adult? Or the town where I live now? I believe I have the strongest connection with the town where I spend the most of my childhood, but on the other hand I feel a very strong connection to the general area where I was born (not the town, but the region.) In the end I would probably go with the region I was born, and I currently live in that region. I enjoyed your post, since it made me think. I hope you are enjoying a great weekend.
If it was me, I think I’d choose the town where I spent most of my childhood. Pleased my post made you think a bit
The cows are a regular sight? Awesome! They do make a great palate. Thanks for the stroll.
The cows are always there. They’re quite commonplace