Today is the first day of the first year of our new country, the Commonwealth of Australia.
This is a good time for us to think about the history of our Australia. It is a time also for us to remember the history of our family.
Our family has many memories and stories about the early history of the Bathurst district.
You, Ida, are the eldest of our three grandchildren. To all of our grandchildren, but to you especially, will come the duty in time of safekeeping our family stories and memories.
But are you ready to begin taking on this important duty?
I want you to come and stay with us. At the end of your visit I will test you to see if you have what is needed to become our family historian.
Ida, you will find six riddles with this letter. I want you to solve these riddles during your visit. On the fifth day, the last day of your visit, I will ask you to use the answers from the riddles to tell a story about our family. This will be your test.
If you are successful you may then begin your apprenticeship as the family's historian. Please do not disappoint me, Ida. To fail could mean the loss of our stories, forever.
