Timeline: 1950s

The family moves through Angaston, Bray/Robe, and the Sth Purrumbete dairy farm as most of the 14 children are born.

Events

6 Sep 1950 — D & C sell their house in Angaston.
27 Aug 1950 — Cath's mother Catherine Gunn died in Adelaide, aged 77; buried 29 Aug at Dudley Park Methodist Cemetery, SA. See death certificate.
1 May 1951 — Janet Barbara Whillas born, Murray Bridge (birth certificate gives Robe as home address; Dick's occupation "Grazier").
4 Sep 1952 — D & C, with Norman McLeod, lease Crown Land at Bray, near Robe.
21 Apr 1952 — Charlotte Whillas (Dick's mother) died, Adelaide, aged 72. 24 Apr — Norman Vincent Whillas born, Millicent.
Feb 1953 — Fran retires from COR as ledger keeper (aged 35).
21 Mar 1953 — Fran marries Reg Hall in Woodville. No children.
24 Apr 1953 — Lea Graham Whillas born, Millicent(?).
12 May 1954 — Stuart James (Jim) Whillas born, Camperdown.
6 Jul 1954 — D & C, with Norman McLeod, sell the lease of Crown Land at Bray.
14 Apr 1955 — Mark Campbell Whillas born, Camperdown (birth certificate held).
31 Jan 1955 — Norman McLeod died in Melbourne. He had remarried (to Lileen Kallady) just before his death; cremated, location of ashes unknown.
29 Sep 1956 — Fiona Victoria Whillas born, Camperdown.
21 Aug 1958 — Susan Catrina Whillas born, Camperdown.
22 Aug 1959 — Craig Douglas Whillas born, Camperdown.

Around 1949–50 the family left Angaston on a camping trip (Morris Oxford + trailer) up the east coast, ending at Bray/Brae on a square mile of virgin country. They lived in a tent while Dick built the house; he worked as a wool classer and grew strawberry clover for seed. The children attended school in Robe and by correspondence; Nan went to Millicent HS. Norman lived with them for much of this time.
Because of high wool prices (Korean War) Dick couldn't afford to stock Bray with sheep, and schooling was difficult, so D & C bought a dairy farm at Sth Purrumbete in shares with neighbour Vin Witwer (~125 cows). The children attended Tandarook PS and bussed to Camperdown HS. Nan met John Walsh on the bus. The family left c. late 1959/early 1960 for a drier, warmer climate — Invergordon Post Office near Numurkah.