Through the 1920s and 1930s, the Wantabadgery district was further developed and, where rabbits had been controlled, prospered.
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Both Wantabadgery East and Wantabadgery West remained in the control of the respective Macdonald families but there were other smaller properties owned by others in the area.
Wantabadgery East suffered a blow in December, 1937 when owner C.I.F. (Ian) Macdonald was killed in the crash of an Imperial Airways Cygnet flying boat as it lifted off at Brindisi, Italy.
His sister, Mrs Queenie Ritchie survived the crash.
Ian’s only brother, Claude had died in WW1 so in 1938, the property was sold to Sir Keith Murdoch.
In 1947, 5350 hectares was purchased by the federal government and subdivided into fourteen blocks for WW2 veterans, known as soldier settlers.
As a memorial to Ian Macdonald, in 1943, the Junee district benefitted from the generosity of the Macdonald family which donated funds to the Junee District Hospital enabling the opening of the maternity ward “Ian Macdonald House”, known to many as “ Mac House”.
The separate brick building was intended as a children’s ward when built with the new hospital in 1929, but was never used.
In the village, the Macdonald Memorial Hall was renovated and extended and in 1959, a new Protestant church was opened, debt free.
One big yearly event was the Gymkhana with horse and athletic events and stalls and people from a wide area attended.
Money raised went to hall improvements and Junee organisations such as Lawson House and the Red Cross.
Balls were held in the hall and before electricity, participants had to take their own kerosene lamps.
Tennis and cricket were played for many years in district competitions.
Wantabadgery West up to WW2 was owned by Hamish Macdonald who enlisted in the Second AIF and as Captain Macdonald, 2/19th Battalion.
He was killed in action in Malaya on 19th January, 1942, leaving his wife and three small children.
This property was completely taken over for soldier settlement in 1948, providing fifteen blocks totalling 6,500 hectares.
Few of the twenty nine blocks had houses or huts or even fences.
Some had jackeroos’ quarters and the Aub Howard family drew the Wantabadgery West homestead block with an eighteen room brick house.
Others set up tents or huts, sheds and fences and the 22 stand shearing shed was dismantled and re-erected on about six properties.
There was no electricity or piped water, the road to Junee with boggy creek crossings was only reluctantly attempted and there were countless rabbits.