Having lived in her home for over a decade with her husband, dog, and cat, Gwen August has spent the years finding out the quirks and hauntings of her over-100-year-old home.
How old is the house?
It was built in 1910. It’s had a few owners and renters, I don’t know the original people of course. I also don’t know whether it was a railway house or what it was. I presume it would have been. But my landlord who’s passed now, he bought this place off a couple in 1981 and he started renting it out then, I think.
It definitely has some character and some history. We actually use [the woodstove] to heat our water.
How has the house become home for you?
Well I knew the landlord, I worked with him at Huntly West. The couple that were in here at the time mentioned they were moving out, and I was in a housing corp house on the other side. So I approached the landlord and asked him, you know, could we come and have a look, and I just… something called out to me; this house just needed me. And I just said, well I’ve got to have it. I’ve got to have it.
How did you end up decorating the front of the house with the gumboots?
I did that during lockdown. Because you know, you get so bored. So I decided to use some old paint and well, there’s heaps of work boots hanging around. The front of the house itself was painted the way it is now when we moved in [in 2013], and it hasn’t had any paint since then.
What is life like for you outside of home?
I drive a school bus. Yeah, it’s not bad, I’ve been with the company for 20 years this year.
I started driving special needs children in the van for Hamilton, then they transferred me to Huntly Depot and then I took up the school bus driving.
It’s good, although they can get a bit noisy. I threaten to take mine back to school. Obviously, you’re not allowed to, but sometimes you can threaten them.
What is interesting about your house to you?
Well, the old guy, Ray, that owned the house before, died in the lounge and sometimes he makes his presence felt. [My dog] would often let me know when we moved in here. She’s quite aware of things like that.
Stuff just randomly happens, like the TV turns on by itself in the middle of the night. And it’s when it shouldn’t be on either, it will have been fully turned off before that. So I think it’s either him or maybe somebody else.
It also used to be a bit of a gathering spot, this house. There was a group of them, the landlord or the owners, and another guy, Pat, that lived around the corner. They all used to get together and party back in the day.
And Pat’s house was also quite a party house.
How is the location?
Oh, good. Yeah, because I only have to walk to work in the summer. And it’s good, close to town and stuff. I’ve never had a problem here.
by Sarah Morcom
