downunder update

“SURVIVORS! Amazing escape as two cling to esky!…
They drifted in the shark and crocodile-infested waters for 12 hours before staggering on to a reef 20km away near Eagle Island later that day.”
Sunday Mail Headline, 9 April 2000

“Three Townsville fishermen survived 12 hours floating at sea by ingeniously turning their Esky lid into a makeshift sail after their boat sank…”
The Courier Mail, 6 November 2007

There are probably numerous other instances where quick thinking and an Esky has saved a life. Apart from doubling as life rafts, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence around from emergency boogie-boarding in flash floods to beating off crocodiles ( they get their teeth stuck in the polystyrene lid ).

But Eskys are normally used for carrying bait and for all those fish that didn’t get away, (wash thoroughly after use) temporary beer fridges at parties, in the car boot for your supermarket shopping, storage bins, and containers for home brew. No picnic is complete without at least one Esky. How on earth did my ancestors tolerate sloshy butter and warm beer?

Eskys have marked the stages of my life. There was the “Tartan Esky” from the 1950’s, a heavy cylindrical example in alleged genuine Clan colours and patterns. It boasted very thick walls, cork as insulation (standard at the time) and came with a dinky little tray which fitted neatly inside the top. My father used that old Esky for over 30 years and, apart from a few scratches and a bit of duct tape here and there, it was as good as new.

In my student days, an Esky took the place of a fridge and was regularly cleared out of superfluous items such as food, to accompany a gang of us to the football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, back in the old days when you could still carry in your own grog.

Today, I can scarcely recognise an Esky. The evolution of the familiar model is absolutely astounding and frightening in its own way. You can get a 55-litre model with a pull-out handle and two wheels for easy manoeuvering, a six-can cooler, a back pack Esky (very handy for bushwalkers and parents of toddlers) elegant Eskys for wine bottles and the children carry bright red and yellow Esky-lunch boxes to school. My granddaughter has a lurid pink Esky lunch box dedicated to a Bratz doll. I don’t know how she can bring herself to eat from it.

But the greatest of Eskys, the champion, is the stubby holder. The fine single-unit hand-held model beneath, is an example of a top notch Australian Esky from the boyos at the Electrical Trades Union.

The Esky is nothing if not versatile.

Tags: favourite

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