The YOUNG Family
RITA AND RON YOUNG.
MOSSY POINT POST OFFICE STORE.
1 SURFSIDE AVENUE MOSSY POINT.
Rita Young, Edeline Groom (Ron Young's sister) and Lynnette Young at the Mossy Point Post Office Store c1957. LT.
Lynnette Timmis (nee Young) recalls:
"Ron, Rita and their daughter Lynnette moved from Willoughby, Sydney to take over the Mossy Point Post Office Store in 1950. There was a very small community of mostly elderly permanent residents.
Some goods for the store were still not easily sourced, cigarettes were kept under the counter for favoured customers. Beer was sold against the rules to some customers. A dozen long necks went in docket books as "1 dozen hard boiled eggs".
Things that might be needed such as needles and cotton were kept. Lobsters were marketed for "two bob" each, there was ABC cheese from Bega, Arnotts biscuits in paper bags. Threepence worth of mixed lollies from the big glass jars were put in cones of greaseproof paper. After electricity arrived, possibly in 1954, the most popular of all were milkshakes and doughnuts. Not cooked in oil, doughnuts were made in an electric machine lightly greased with butter, it cooked four at a time. Rita used really cold milk and a scoop of ice cream for her "famous" milkshakes. Summer holidays saw evening gatherings to drink milkshakes (sometimes scotch flavoured) and chat in the kerosene lamplight.
Lynnette would serve petrol by hand pumping up to six gallons (27 litres) into the bowl at the top of the COR (Commonwealth Oil Refineries) pump and then letting it feed by gravity into the vehicle. If more than six gallons was wanted, she did it all again.
Ron made Monday, Wednesday and Friday trips to Moruya for supplies, and drove bus passengers to and from the highway. He hired out a rowing dinghy for the River and a motor boat. He also did boatwright and building work. The boat currently outside Muffins was for the family's use.
In the early 1950s Ron Young built the boat that now (2015) sits proudly outside Muffins. LT.
Pear's Baby Soap poster entitled 'At Low Tide'.
Ron added the eastern extension to the shop to house the post office and telephone exchange. Calls to the exchange were answered to "two shorts", the calls to other exchanges being distinguished by a different combination of rings.
Electricity arrived, possibly in 1954 and a large refrigerator appeared. It catered for a large stainless steel container of ice cream, brought from Moruya in a padded green canvas bag with dry ice on the top. When there was a big puddle opposite the shop Lynnette liked to put dry ice in it and puzzled many people with the puddle steaming and bubbling like a geyser.
After electricity arrived, no one needed to take his torch to the dark end of the shop to view the lady wearing only a ribbon in the Pear's Baby Soap poster entitled At Low Tide.
On important occasions people assembled on the headland where the anchor is today. King George VI's passing was marked by such an assembly, for which Ron played the accordion. I still get teary when I hear "Abide With Me" as it still always reminds me of that day and the simplicity and humbleness of that gathering.
Mr R.S. Stevenson was an honorary projectionist for the Canberra Film Centre, and during Christmas holidays he presented films in an outdoor setting on the vacant block near the Little Store. The audience brought rugs and chairs. Bush Christmas was one shown. Later screenings were on a sloped block closer to the ocean. The African Queen was shown there.
Surfing on blow-up mattresses, swimming, walking the rocks, rowing, discovering Barlings Beach, riding bikes, eating oysters bashed off the rocks, made wonderful days of simple fun at Mossy."