ACT 3. Scene 2. Young Mrs Henty and Her Sister From Perth
Commence the Slide or Picture show for ACT 3 Scene 2

Reporter. Why not tell us about when your sister Miss Mary Pace arrived from Fremantle, in May 1839, on the Henty schooner Sally Ann.

Older Mrs. Stephen Henty. That was a day I will never forget, had been looking forward to her visit for several months. She and my Mother had to make arrangements to cover her absence in the Shop and Public House that they own in Perth. Her visit started with my housekeeper Mary.

Mary. Mrs. Henty! Mrs. Henty! Mr. McVea says a barque has just arrived around the Headland, and it could be the Sally Ann. Your sister could be on it!

Young (21 years old) Jane Henty. If my sister is on board, I will be so pleased. I have been waiting several months for her to arrive.

Mary. Aye!, the last arrivals we had were Doctor Byass and his wife Rebecca, who had sailed from South Australia, and arrived here in January.

Jane Henty. I presume all my wishes have been carried out?

Mary. Och aye! All the new crockery, washed and ready. Blankets folded and ready. A mirror and space for her travelling trunk. Everything is ready. I have told Mr. McVea, to get some heplpers and meet the boat at the jetty.

……..later…………………….

Miss Pace. Jane, the smell of the whale meat being boiled down is dreadful.

Mrs.Jane Henty. You are very lucky that the tide has dragged away some of the carcasses and bones from the beach area, that adds to the smell. But you know, the whale oil business adds greatly to our income. Everyone seems to want burn it in little lamps to give off a light at nighttime, instead of using candles.

Miss Pace. The jetty we tied up to when we came ashore is a little rickety.

Jane Henty. You are lucky, the first time I came here, our boat from the ship was being washed all over the place, Mr. McVea had to carry me ashore, on his shoulders, in the surf.

Miss Pace. Should we go and visit Dr. Byass’s wife, she has only just had that baby girl? John and Eliza when they come down here from Merino Downs, will look for us.

Jane Henty. Yes, we can walk. It will give me time to tell you about that horrible man Collier, who pretended to be a Doctor, and who wrote horrible lies about us Henty people to Governor Gipps in Sydney. Then I can tell you how Dr. Byass, a real Doctor, amputated the tops off three toes on Uncle Sam Bryant’s right foot, after he was brought here after the sinking of the barque Children that was on the way to Adelaide from Launceston.

Miss Pace. Jane, what is this Terra Nullius I keep hearing about. I do believe it has something to do with why your brother in law James, who sailed on the Sally Ann with me, is here.

Jane Henty. Governor Bourke in Sydney and now Governor Gipps in Sydney, have said that no one can own land in Australia, without paying the Government money, Even the Aborigines. But we can RENT many acres to grow our sheep, because they believe this colony of Australia, needs to export sheep wool to England and Europe so that it does not make claims on the English Government for money.

Miss Pace. You cannot own land unless the Governor says it is for sale? But you can rent many acres to run sheep on?

Jane Henty. Yes, that’s what it is all about. Even John Batman, who lived in a little village outside Launceston, and who claimed he had purchased or was able to rent land from the Aborigine tribes, was over ruled by Governor Bourke. Do you know that our Frank spent a week or two at Batman’s anchorage on the Yarra River, He never misses an opportunity to tell everyone that he helped Batman put up his tent.

Miss Pace. Aha, that’s why the Surveyor Robert Hoddle drew up a map of what Melbourne should look like, and then he acted as the First Auctioneer to sell of blocks of land.

Jane Henty. What’s that commotion over on the hill there? The dogs are barking and I can see what looks like mounted troopers?