S&P FINAL Autumn 06 - the Hawkesbury Blue Mountains Alpaca ...
S&P FINAL Autumn 06 - the Hawkesbury Blue Mountains Alpaca ...
S&P FINAL Autumn 06 - the Hawkesbury Blue Mountains Alpaca ...
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24<br />
Spits & Pieces<br />
When I’m Not With My <strong>Alpaca</strong>s I ………...<br />
I know it’s hard to imagine, but some alpaca breeders do find time for o<strong>the</strong>r things away<br />
from <strong>the</strong> showring. The following profile of H-BM member Warwick Fuller who, toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />
with wife Wendy, run Moonlight <strong>Alpaca</strong>s.<br />
Forty odd years ago, I left school at fifteen<br />
after completing my intermediate<br />
certificate, to take up an apprenticeship. A<br />
couple of suburbs away Wendy was a clerk<br />
with a department store. When Wendy and<br />
I were both sixteen,<br />
her cousin, who was a<br />
mate of mine, had a<br />
party. “The Lion<br />
Sleeps Tonight” blared<br />
out on a portable<br />
record player, my<br />
Brylcreamed hair<br />
defied gravity, and<br />
Wendy was <strong>the</strong> most<br />
beautiful girl at <strong>the</strong><br />
party.<br />
We married at twentyone<br />
and after four<br />
years saving by living<br />
in a caravan at<br />
Wendy’s parents, built<br />
a modest house at Emu Plains on land we<br />
were paying off. I sold my dear little trail<br />
bike for turf to cover <strong>the</strong> mud we called our<br />
front yard. An act that has come to<br />
symbolise one of <strong>the</strong> distinct and inevitable<br />
phases in one’s life. Our son Shannon<br />
debuted in 1974 with Cristie following in<br />
1976.<br />
I was a full time painter and Wendy was<br />
a full time mum. It was a real squeeze for<br />
a lot of years. Being an outdoor painter I<br />
was away a lot. Particularly <strong>the</strong> first few<br />
years I would go painting for about four<br />
or five days, home for<br />
about ten or twelve and<br />
away again. We got by<br />
and I am lucky enough<br />
that my art has<br />
provided for us and<br />
allowed whatever talent<br />
I may have to flourish.<br />
On a painting trip<br />
during 1993, I<br />
stumbled across a 25acre<br />
patch of rough,<br />
dry granite country for<br />
sale. The suburban girl<br />
must have understood<br />
<strong>the</strong> depth of feeling that<br />
<strong>the</strong> country boy (at<br />
heart) had about this<br />
place as she accepted, with little<br />
resistance, my plea for us buy it. (With<br />
<strong>the</strong> implication of living <strong>the</strong>re one day).<br />
Coincidently at about that time two<br />
events occurred. I saw an advert for <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Alpaca</strong> Association, and an art gallery<br />
that carried my work, leased a space to<br />
(Continued on page 25)
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