Mouse plague

Rodents were a constant problem on the farm where Bertha grew up, but it got much worse when there was a plague in about 1930.

"Dad used to go and lift up all the places where they could hide and we'd rush in and kill as many as we could," says Bertha.

She recalls one particular incident where she came off second best.

"I could see this mouse down the hole so I put my finger down to get him by the tail," says Bertha.

"But I didn't know there was another mouse facing up this way and he grabbed my finger.

"I jerked my finger up and he was still hanging onto it!

"Dad took it off and the blood poured out.

"Dad said 'oh, put it in your mouth and suck it, you'll be right'."

The family had lots of cats to help control the mice but even they couldn't keep up during the plague.

"The cat's be lying in the sun asleep and the mice'd run over their feet and they'd just look at them," says Bertha.

"They were so full of mice they couldn't be bothered catching another one."

Years later, Bertha had another unfortunate encounter with a rodent.

"One night when we were at Emu Vale... I went out and there was a rat on the table," she says.

"So I thought I'd give him a fright.

"I rushed at the table and instead of jumping away, he jumped straight at me!"