Rabbits are in this because shortly after they were introduced into Australia they ran rampant in plague proportions And devastated the countryside.
Jounalling: My great-grand-father (bottom right) was a telegrapher in Eucla in 1892, on the W.A.-S.A. border. His children were born or raised here.
The second photo shows a cameleer delivering vital supplies to the telegraph station.
Out Among the People First born at Eucla By Vox The ever recurring news tapped out in Morse code at Eucla telegraph station relieved operators of the tedium of isolation in those days. I have just met the first white infant born there- Margaret, daughter of James Leahy, wife of G. A. Titus, former well known horse trainer, now living at Grey Street Norwood. Other sisters are Gertrude, wife of Wilfred Tait, the Glenelg trainer: Edna, wife of James Souter of Glandore: Linda, wife of Mr. Jarrett of Kensington Road, Norwood. Exciting Times I saw their mother, Mrs. Maude Morris (by a second marriage) at 4 Colliver Street, Norwood. She was I learnt, a daughter of Tobias Goldsworthy, one-time licensee of the Woolshed Inn, Bordertown. Immediately after her marriage to James Leahy, telegraph operator, they went direct to Eucla on the barque Waratah (302 tons). She was only eighteen then. To give birth to her first child (Linda) in Adelaide, she told me, she went in the mail coach (from Eucla to Fowler’s Bay. Mr. Harrison, driver. There were only S.A. and W.A. operators at Eucla telegraph station when Margaret was born. Saltbush Plain Mrs. Leahy then spent four or five years on the edge of that saltbush plain. For female company she would drive60 miles to Kennedy and McGill’s Mundrabilla station out form Esperence, to spend a week or two with Mrs. McGill. Mrs. Stephens, the wife of the W.A. Stationmaster, had several children. Mr Dawkins, SA master, used to dole out the precious water, a bucket full a day. While the lubras looked after the children the women were able to play tennis and croquet on Saturdays. Mrs. Leahy stayed at Nullarbor station several times. They never heard of rabbits in those days. They lived on tinned stuff when they ran out of meat. Incidentally, Mrs. Morris is a maternal granddaughter of Mrs. M.A. Foote, who attained more than 107 years. Friday, 9th August 1957 The Adelaide Advertiser (presumably).