On Thursday, my daughter Susan and I journeyed to Piccabean in Northern NSW. There we viewed the house built by my great-grandparents, Edward and Rosalie Stegemann at Buccan, on the Logan River in about 1884-5.

The house was moved and restored in about 1931 by my Uncle Ted, later, much later to be sold for removal by another owner. Then purchased by the present owners, Phil and Jen Robin, who have lovingly restored it. How wonderful!

The Wunderlich pressed metal walls and ceilings are still intact, complete with dints. But the lovely tulip design remains. The original arch in the entrance hall is still imposing, the original sash windows still work with a push!

The eerie sensation of my forebears walking, sleeping, working in this dwelling quite overwhelmed me. Grandma inherited the place and my father spent his young years living here...on the Logan of course. They were flooded out in the disastrous flood of 1887, retreating to the Reserve up the hill to live on warm cow's milk straight from the udder for three days or more.

It was remarkable that the Robins found me. My name was presented by the Logan Village Historical Society as someone who might be able to help them in their search for the original owners, little realising that I would be so close to those people.

In my book Barefoot in Logan Village, there is a chapter 'The Love Letters et Al' telling how a box of old photos came into my hands. Among them were photos of the Robins' house when it was moved by Grandad, my father and Uncle Ted; interiors as they had them. These photos are now proudly displayed in a handsome frame in the old house.

Seeing the house, feeling the spirite of previous owners gave me a sense of history...irreplaceable really.