My life story,
 Arie M van der Plaat.

KYBEAN.
The 19^th April 1952, after a long and slow journey By Train, "Old Smokey" leaving Sydney the night before at 9.00Pm, arriving in Cooma at around 7.00AM in the morning we were met by my dad and brothers who were already in Cooma area for a few months, Ron Mould met us. at the Cooma Station.

We left Cooma around lunch time traveling what seemed a long time for I got very car sick, I was to suffer that for the next 3 years, in a school bus every morning.

The arrival at Kybean Station, A few houses a shed what looked like a garage for machinery and across a grassy flat we arrived what was to be our living quarters for the duration of our stay. As we got used to living in a migrant camp at Bathurst we made the most of what our new live in this new country had to offer.

That weekend of our arrival we were made welcome by some of the local living on the property, as it turned out there was a two Dutch family already living there and they came over on our first Sunday to introduce themselves and made us newcomer to Kybean welcome, The Family was DeKosters, a family of Mum Dad Two daughters and two sons,. Oldest son I believe name was Nick. Oldest Daughter was Martha youngest Daughter Tina; the second family was Peter and Ann Goed, who had one son Peter who was a few years younger than myself. Also a gent by the name of "Kees Wassink"

There Introduction to us, they came around on horse back There was Martha, Tina, Young Peter and Patrick Mould, after the introduction they invited me to have a ride as I had never ever been on a horse in my life I was a little scared, but learned two things that morning to ride in a saddle and when you fall of a horse don’t land on a granite rock with you BUTT. It hurts. My introduction to horse riding.

Monday morning was introduced to our school bus, was introduced to the driver Ted Owers, the drive was no pleasure for it was the first morning of car sickness that was to last for 3 years I was lucky to have some of the kids to help me with language problem for I did not speak a word of English at the time when I arrived at school, The public school Head master from the first day we never got on wonder why??,

It was a wonderful year of experiences and lots of learning, Learned to handle horses, milk cows, handle sheep, It was also that year I learned it could rain in Australia, the month of November of 1952 was 10 days of rain and we seen the Kybean creek and Kybean river merge into one we were isolated behind all that water for a whole 7 days No school , now who was complaining.

With the friendship of Patrick Mould and Peter Goed, as they were the only two lads of my age, the twelve month were great and left many happy memories of our stay at Kybean,

On the 21^st April 1953 we moved from Kybean to Park Side, Really "Old Park Side" we remained there for the next three years.

PS
This Story are extracts from my book..
My life story of Arie M van der Plaat.