western australia

Keeping the nasties at bay

@JudyEv (381747)

Rockingham, Australia

August 5, 2025 7:22pm CST

This meat safe was in the Cunderdin Museum that we visited recently. It would have been hung up under a tree if the owner was camping or under the verandah of a house. The holes allowed for ventilation but kept the contents safe from animals and insects. We took our Irish son to New Norcia yesterday and had an enjoyable time. I’ll write more about that another time. His first week has gone very quickly and he’ll be here for another week so we have to make the most of it.

17 people like this

18 responses

@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

6 Aug

As far back as I can remember, we had a fridge. The first fridge I remember didn't have a freezer in it except for a small apace for ice cube trays. But the next one had a small compartment to freeze foods. We had the second one until I was 9 or 10 years old. I hope you all had a great time and you're sons visit is going well.

3 people like this

show previous comments

@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

13 Aug

@JudyEv As far as I can remember, our fridges plugged into the wall outlet. We did have wood cook and heating stoves when I was a kid, though. My older brothers griped a lot about having to cut and split wood for them.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug

@DaddyEvil It was never-ending, keeping the woodbox filled.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

We had kerosene fridges first. The wicks always seemed to need trimming and the tanks filling up but they kept food cold.

2 people like this

Show more comments

@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

6 Aug

Hope everybody has a great time.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

We have three more days with him before he flies out. He is saying he'll be back next year which would be nice.

2 people like this

@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

9 Aug

@JudyEv Yes, that would be awesome.

2 people like this

@rsa101 (40946)

• Philippines

7 Aug

I thought it was some kind of window of some sort.

. What usually do they put there? Does the food not become stale overtime. Anyway back here in my place food gets easily staled because we hace a very humid climate.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@rsa101 (40946)

• Philippines

11 Aug

@JudyEv I guess the meat could stay a bit longer there because of the climate. Here it would easily get molds hours after being placed there.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Aug

@rsa101 It's called a meat safe but I can't imagine meat would keep too long in it here either. When I researched it, it said the meat would get a 'skin' on it and keep longer.

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

It was called a 'meat safe' but meat wouldn't stay fresh in it for very long. It did keep flies off any food that was kept in there.

2 people like this

Show more comments

@allknowing (153544)

• India

7 Aug

We have one that belonged to my ma-in-law But we keep crockery in there. Happy that both you and your son are having a good time.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

We've had an enjoyable three weeks, thanks. He says he'll be back next year so that's something to look forward to.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

6 Aug

My grandmother had those food safe "lockers".

2 people like this

show previous comments

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

9 Aug

@JudyEv - At my grandmother times there were no refrigerators. She kept the food inside for the same reason, so that the air circulated keeping the food good. I remember her placing the butter in cold water.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

Maybe in Australia these were more to keep away from food as they are not refrigerated at all. The air was able to circulate which would have been a good thing.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@LindaOHio (222222)

• United States

6 Aug

I'm so glad you have your son visiting you. The meat safe is a good idea.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

We have really enjoyed his visit. He goes home on Tuesday.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Aug

@LindaOHio Funnily enough, we didn't take a lot although we did take some.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222222)

• United States

9 Aug

@JudyEv I hope you took some pictures!

2 people like this

Show more comments

@AmbiePam (120533)

• United States

6 Aug

I am so glad you have had this time with him. You’ve been exploring some more interesting places!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

It's been really enjoyable, thanks. He says he'll be back next year so that's something to look forward to. In the meantime, we'll enjoy our last three days together.

2 people like this

@FourWalls (86568)

• United States

6 Aug

What an interesting thing! I’m so glad you’re having a great time with your son…and so sad that time is flying by for you.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

Thanks. He says he'll be back next year so that's really nice. I thought it might be a few years and we're not getting any younger so knowing he'll be back in 12 months is really good.

2 people like this

@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

6 Aug

That's a good way to protect food. Enjoy your visit

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

The air would circulate but they wouldn't keep food very cool.

2 people like this

@rakski (156200)

• Philippines

13 Aug

enjoy your time together!

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@rakski (156200)

• Philippines

18 Aug

@JudyEv that is great!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug

Thanks. He's gone home now but we did have an enjoyable time.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RasmaSandra (97912)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

6 Aug

That looks interesting, Never saw one before but then never went camping. I have seen fridges where you inserted a block of ice to keep things cold,

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

Those types of fridges probably came after this.

2 people like this

@Traceyjayne (11252)

• United Kingdom

6 Aug

I remember my Nan having a meat safe like that ….im going back nearly 60 years now …..I never knew what happened to it.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

I doubt you could buy a new one these days.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (21504)

• London, England

6 Aug

Think i saw one of these at a museum of the American West. Fairly sure they were over here too, before fridges

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

I guess the air circulated through them but they wouldn't have been use for perishables.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15373)

• Hong Kong

6 Aug

I remember we had similar thing when I was young and did not have a fridge.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

It was important to keep flies off food and also to stop dogs and cats from stealing products.

2 people like this

@jstory07 (148701)

• Roseburg, Oregon

6 Aug

I hope you find lots of things to do in his last week with you.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

Thanks. We're working on it, haha. He is catching up with some old school friends at the moment.

1 person likes this

@Tampa_girl7 (54714)

• United States

6 Aug

Enjoy your time with your son.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

Thanks. We've done a lot of things really. It's been a very enjoyable time.

1 person likes this

@xFiacre (14782)

• Ireland

6 Aug

@judyev Glad you’re enjoying the visit. We had a meat safe in Africa since we didn’t have constant electricity to run a fridge. We also had one in our last house in Belfast which was a bit of a mansion.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Aug

I guess in Belfast lots of things would keep without needing to be kept in a fridge.

1 person likes this

@xFiacre (14782)

• Ireland

9 Aug

@JudyEv Yes, but most people keep their houses overheated!

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238268)

• Walnut Creek, California

11 Aug

Enjoy.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Aug

We're going to an evening of sea shanties shortly. The harmonies of the men are just awesome.