General News
29 May, 2026
Canine Devotion: A tale of dogged determination, with Brian Lennen
Maryborough's Brian Lennen returns with a story of Chippy and his daring rescue.
We all have had a pet in our lives.
Some have many. All have stories to tell about their cat or dog, parrot, canary, etc.
These pets are much loved and bring great joy to their owners.
Many pets are pampered and unrecognisable from their primal origins.
They bear no resemblance to the “Lone Dog” of literary fame as illuminated by Irene McLeod, to quote “I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog, and lone”.
Chippy, Nona Rose’s diminutive Australian terrier certainly wasn’t pampered.
Removed from her dead mother’s body she struggled to survive, she overcame a snake bite and the birth of her pups (almost as big as herself).
She patrolled the farm house and saw herself as the protector of all visitors.
At night she guarded the verandah, sleeping on a hessian bag in a fruit box.
She worshipped Nona Rose and followed her everywhere.
Without refrigeration, the cellar was a vital “larder” for Nona’s incredible range of preserves.
They included salted fish (Bucculah), to dried figs, olives, sugo (tomato sauce), pickled onions, cucumbers and turnips and every preserved fruit, and jams.
On this particular day Pietro, Nona’s husband, was away in Melbourne overnight visiting their son Peter.
The heavens opened up and it rained non-stop for hours. The paddocks were flooded and to mud heaps.
On alighting the cellar stairs which you did backwards, she slipped and fell.
She injured her hip and although conscious she was unable to get up.
The rain continued and the cellar floor began to fill up with water.
Suddenly Chippy appeared at the top of the stairs and realised the predicament her beloved mistress was in.
Speaking to Chippy as if she was human she told her to “go to Mrs Doyles”.
Mrs Doyle was a retired nurse who lived on the neighbouring farm about three miles away across country.
She had delivered six of Nona’s children, as access to emergency medical assistance was non existent.
Chippy was small in stature but big of heart.
She headed off across country. The paddocks were flooded with pools of water.
Her short legs paddled through the mud and water.
Her body was layered with mud but on she went.
Although totally exhausted she made it to Mrs Doyle’s front door.
So out of breath she couldn’t usher a whimper.
With her paws she scratched at the door.
After an eternity the door opened.
Nona had made a clever decision — she attached her wedding ring to Chippy’s collar.
Immediately Mrs Doyle realised there was a problem.
Summoning her son and picking up Chippy they hurried off in the ute to the farm.
Chippy, using the last reserves of energy, guided them to the cellar.
Tony, Mrs Doyle’s son, was a powerful young fellow.
With the directions of his mother he cradled Nona and carefully carried her up the steps.
Wrapped in blankets and stretched across the back seat she was off to the Goulburn Valley Hospital.
Of course Chippy was by her side.
Nona, no bigger than a young girl, made a remarkable recovery.
Fortunately her hip was only badly bruised, nothing was broken, and she was unlikely to complain anyway.
Chippy took longer to recover as the trek across the swampy paddocks had exhausted her beyond her limits.
The “indomitable” Rose continued on as if nothing had happened, although when I stayed on the farm she banned me from the cellar.
This was a blow as I loved to raid the “Bendigo Pottery” barrels of olives and pickled cucumbers.
To my pleasure endless supplies of ginger beer, home cured salami and yoghurt were in plentiful supply.
Nona, like her generation, always over-catered — hoping for unexpected visitors!
Nona Rose on sunny afternoons would sit under the verandah looking at the distant road hoping a passing vehicle would turn into “Woodlands Park” — a romantic name bestowed on the farm by Aunt Mary.
She occupied this time knitting or darning (a forgotten task).
Unlike today, she wore little make-up and had a limited wardrobe.
I hope she sits in comfort in a stylish gown in heaven.