The Blue Gum Camp by Leonie Kelsall

Author:Leonie Kelsall [Leonie Kelsall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2023-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

‘What’s happened?’ Paris gasped as Hope slowed the car. A couple of t-shirted bouncers stood at the entrance to the Yurramukka campground, another pair manned the open gate to an adjacent paddock. The title SECURITY was emblazoned in white across their black shirts. While the women had been shopping in Mount Gambier, the few hundred campers of the previous night had somehow exploded to well over a thousand, their vehicles parked randomly all over the second paddock. A large flat-bed farm truck had found a new life as a concert stage in the middle of the paddock, the band belting out music loud enough to vibrate the stacked amplifiers and dusty side-mirrors.

One of the bouncers leaned down to the window as Hope pulled up. ‘Wristbands, ladies?’ As they dutifully held up their arms to display the colourful rubber bracelets that proved they had tickets for the ball, he nodded. ‘And no food dye on board?’

‘Food dye?’ Hope repeated.

‘Banned substance. Along with several others, but I’m not going to ask you about them.’ The bouncer winked.

‘Clearly, there’s not much point asking about the dye,’ Paris said as she gazed at the adjacent paddock. The relatively well-dressed crowds of the previous evening had morphed into a chaos of thongs, boots, denim shorts, t-shirts, Akubras and caps, and … colour. Hair, skin and clothing alike were tie-dyed with splotches, streaks and splashes of every imaginable shade.

‘Right?’ the bouncer agreed cheerfully. ‘Looks like a rainbow puked on itself in there. Glad there’s not too much green this year. Must have been on special last year at the IGA, and it was that all-natural stuff. Impossible to wash off. You got your baby wipes?’

‘Wipes?’ Kaylee squeaked.

‘The ones with alcohol in are the best thing for getting the dye off.’

‘But … we’re not allowed to have dye?’

‘Right you are,’ the bouncer said. ‘Are you campground, concert, ball or all three?’

‘I’ve no idea.’ Hope swivelled to look at Charity in the back seat, habitually handing the problem over to her sister.

Before Charity could react, the bouncer added, ‘Look on the inside of your band. It’ll be marked with the number. The more you paid, the more you get into.’

‘Three,’ Faith said, turning her bracelet inside out.

‘Good to go, then.’ The bouncer stepped back, sweeping his arm to encompass both paddocks. ‘Free access, ladies. Enjoy. And stay safe.’

Although his words were clearly a throwaway, the last phrase prickled uneasily up Charity’s spine. There were so many people here. So much alcohol. So much noise. It wasn’t anything like the country dance in rustic surroundings she’d pictured—and even anticipating that low level of sophistication, she had felt she should be there to keep her sisters safe. ‘I can’t say I’m too keen on heading over there,’ she said dubiously, staring toward the adjacent paddock as they pulled up at their repaired tent.

‘The band?’ Hope said, her tone full of bravado. ‘It’s part of the experience.’

‘The part that you didn’t know we were having,’ Faith pointed out.

‘Whatever,’ Hope huffed.

Trepidation trickled through Charity.

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