"When Leigh died, my one hope was that Melanie would one day live the life I knew my mother wanted for her. That has happened, so I am happy."
PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
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"I loved her, treasured her and cared for her as I knew her mother would have wanted."
WORDS SARA DAWES PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
When Melanie Shannon was three years old, her mother, Leigh, died in a farming accident.
Leigh's older sister, Sara Dawes, raised Melanie like her own.
"I knew I now had a job to do and I was going to do it with all my might."
After university, Melanie met Alastair Shannon.
"I'm sure this was with Leigh's guidance as he was living on his property not far from Walloon."
After the wedding in Sara's garden, Melanie and Alastair settled near Banana, Queensland.
Aunt Sara is an important part of the family.
Today, Melanie works as a teacher and is an event assistant with Farmers for Climate Action.
Sara now lives in Yeppon, Queensland.
"When Leigh died, my one hope was that Melanie would one day live the life I knew my mother wanted for her. That has happened, so I am happy."
"When Leigh died, my one hope was that Melanie would one day live the life I knew my mother wanted for her. That has happened, so I am happy."
PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
A photograph of Leigh with Melanie on display with Leigh's engagement ring and other special jewellery.
PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
The riverbank was our playground and it was at the city dump off Lion Creek Road that Leigh found her first horse. This big old quiet horse became the love of her life. I was asthmatic and allergic to horses so I could not share this passion with her. I clearly remember being so happy for my little sister, and at the same time terribly sad that I could not go near him.
Leigh always knew what she wanted to do: go bush and work with cattle and horses. So it wasn’t long before Leigh secured a job as a jillaroo with cattle baron [later Sir] Graham McCamley at Tartrus Station in Queensland. This was in 1971, the year I was married. It was a job she loved and excelled at. In no time Leigh was in charge of stock work. In 1973 a bull Leigh groomed and cared for won the The Morning Bulletin trophy for champion of all breeds. Edgar Hudgins from Texas, USA, was the judge and he was so impressed with Leigh’s ability to handle the bull that he offered her a job at his ranch in America.
However, someone else had also asked her something, and that was to get married. Leigh was torn. I knew how much she wanted to go to America, but she also wanted her own family and property. She married wearing my wedding dress and settled near Clermont, Queensland. Soon she was expecting her first baby. I was thrilled as I already had two young children and was excited about seeing our children grow up together. One day, while the men were out mustering, Leigh went into early labour. After a week in the Clermont hospital she was flown to Rockhampton where her little boy was born only to die a few hours later. Leigh cried so much I thought she would never stop.
In time she was expecting again and she was also on the move to Walloon, a property near Theodore, Queensland. Mum went out to help her pack and, heavily pregnant, Leigh drove a fully laden cattle truck from Clermont to Theodore. Mum told me, “We stopped along the way for a hot pie.” Leigh transformed Walloon, creating a country kitchen, rose garden, vegetable garden and the most beautiful nursery you have ever seen. Because of the loss of her first baby, the doctor insisted that Leigh spend the last month of her pregnancy in town just in case. Not long after that he surprised me in the hallway outside the labour ward with, “Here is your namesake.” Leigh had given birth to a baby girl and named her Melanie Sara.
Melanie with her husband, Alastair, and their two daughters Grace Leigh, five, and Sara Elizabeth, three.
PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
Melanie now works as a teacher and is an event assistant with Farmers for Climate Action.
PHOTOGRAPHY AMY HOLCOMBE
Leigh had a million jobs to do in town and so it was that I took this little bundle home on the back seat of my car, together with a barbecue plate. There were no baby capsules then!
The next few years were some of the happiest we both had. Looking back I realise how magical they were. Leigh loved me coming with my children as it gave her a chance to go mustering: I would stay at the house and mind the children and prepare the meals. And we did so many things together. We had come home. These were the best of days, golden days, but they were not to last.
“I knew I now had a job to do and I was going to do it with all my might… I loved her, treasured her and cared for her as I knew her mother would have wanted.”
It was a day of terrible bushfires in South Australia. We were having dinner and I had just put pudding on the table. The phone rang. It was Arnie Kirk, Leigh’s father-in-law, saying there had been an accident at Walloon and Leigh had been killed. I had to drive to Mum’s place and do the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Then I wanted to see Leigh and see where she had died. There was not a mark on her and she had died instantly. The stones on which she finally rested her head, I keep in my bedroom.
I knew I now had a job to do and I was going to do it with all my might. Melanie was just three. I loved her, treasured her and cared for her as I knew her mother would have wanted. The years went by and after university and several jobs Melanie met the most wonderful man, Alastair Shannon. I’m sure this was with Leigh’s guidance as he was living on his property not far from Walloon. Happiness abounded and after a magical wedding in my garden Melanie and her new husband settled near Banana, Queensland. Two little girls soon followed: the youngest called Sara. I felt as though I must have done a good job.
It was the saddest of times when Leigh died, as my mother was completely broken to lose her very capable daughter. Mum now lies together with Leigh at the crematorium. My dad and Leigh’s husband lie with them.
When Leigh died, my one hope was that Melanie would one day live the life I knew her mother wanted for her. That has happened, so I am happy.
Today Melanie works as a teacher and is an event assistant with Farmers for Climate Action, while Sara now lives at Yeppoon, Qld.
To hear more extraordinary stories about women living in rural and regional Australia, listen to our podcast Life on the Land on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
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