“Fletcher Jones made the double decker bus and railway carriage, which had been fitted out as holiday accommodation at Port Fairy, available to all workers.   He asked that the Junior Board members inspect these so they could encourage the workers to use them for holiday and/or weekend breaks.  As a Junior Board member, I took my wife Ruth and 3 months old baby Andrew to the viewing of this staff accommodation.  On arrival, it started to rain.  Fletcher met us and told us to leave the baby with him (who was asleep in his carry cot) so he couldn’t get cold and wet and for us to take our time to check out the accommodation.  He said the baby was safe with him and he could call us if the baby awoke.  On our return, it was a lovely sight.  Fletcher was nursing our baby Andrew – talking and playing with him.  To this day, we don’t know if Andrew woke by himself or if he had a little encouragement from Fletcher.   There are not many today who could brag that they had been nursed and entertained by Sir Fletcher Jones!” Robert Lanchbery 

”We stayed in the bus in Port Fairy- you just walked through the tea tree and you were on the beach.”  Ray Hussey

“Fletcher would knock on the door of the flat in Port Fairy when we stayed there and say do you want to go for a run on the beach?”  Lawson Ryan.  

“Norm and Norma Densley and their daughters Susan and Sharon (that’s me) stayed in the bus many, many years ago.  What an adventure we had! Dad locked the keys inside so, being the smallest, I was hoisted up on Dad's shoulders and pushed through the tiniest of windows to retrieve the keys! Such great old memories.”  Sharon Densley

“We went there quite regularly through the summer, it was a big scramble and you had to book way in advance. The kids loved it because it was close to the beach and there was a trampoline. There was many a time I went to sleep listening to the waves breaking on the beach. Great fun and memories.” Christine Avery 

“We stayed in the bus a few times ............ loved it.”  John Hagan 

“We used to stay there for a weekend twice a year. Besides the bus, there was also a basic unit that you could stay in as well.”  John Stephen 

“We spent a great weekend there.  Actually the part for staff usage was a converted double decker bus.  It was awesome and only about thirty metres from the beach.” Val Thwaites

“Fletcher Jones personally gave my father time off, because of beriberi and the nervous breakdowns he had happening. Mr. Jones knew my father was a veteran of the fighting with the Japanese on the Islands around Borneo. He even took us Mum, Dad and kids on a fishing trip on his boat at Port Fairy, where he had a holiday home. I was only 4 or 5 at the time, but I remember it. Fletcher Jones was a true gentleman who treated his workers like family.” Terry Morris 

“I remember staying there as a kid! It was great. The in-ground trampoline was so much fun!” Suzie White 

“We stayed in both the bus and the other holiday accommodation there with friends. The trampoline and tennis court were well used!”  Ros Doman 

Inside the converted bus at East Beach Port Fairy.  Image thanks to Claire Drylie
Inside the converted bus at East Beach Port Fairy. Image thanks to Claire Drylie
Peggy Carlton at the Port Fairy holiday house - a converted double decker bus.  Photo: Tim Carlton
Peggy Carlton at the Port Fairy holiday house - a converted double decker bus. Photo: Tim Carlton