Places in Ozz, we have lived.
By fifer20
@fifer20 (9)
Australia
January 5, 2007 9:50pm CST
Arriving in Ozzie land in 1964. With 5-school children. 14yrs down to 5yrs.
BHP had re-cruited my Husband being a Tradesman. Sent to the out-landish place of Whyalla. 250-miles out into the Desert type bush. 120-dgrees-'old Temp's. Hot north winds & lots of red dust. Good for dying your white-washing-PINK. No Air-conditioning then, either in Cars or houses. Even the Hospital, where I first started work. Had to rely on portable Fans to help with cooling the patients. Very few jobs available for Women. Having Four Daughter's, got quite worried regarding their future outlook in the JOb market. Decided, that we had to consider moving, but-'where-to'?? Wages were very poor for both my Husband & myself. Husband wasn't able to obtain any 'overtime' either. Kept on requesting a Job Transfer to another part of this Coy., where overtime was available. Told-"no chance"!!. Had to resort to fronting up to the Personnel Officer, stating our case, purely for survival.!! That ended up with the same statement-!!! "We aren't able to offer your Husband a 'transfer', owing to the shortage of Tradespeople willing to work in the Blast Furnaces"(end of quote). Well I got really Angry hearing this, as my Husband hadn't ever seen a Blast Furnace until he arrived in Whyalla. So this becam 'victimisation'!! But what can you do about that, in 1964. No Gov't Offices to Appeal to back then. Ended up with my Husband having to go off on his own, travelling to 'Perth'-Western Australia.!!! As there were jobs to be had over there. (Train Journey, takes 'Two & a Half Days')
1 person likes this
2 responses
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
31 Mar 07
Well... I do feel for you... and you have my sympathy.
Many tradesmen have earned big money in Western Australia while working in the middle of nowhere for companies like BHP. It was the thing to do in the seventies if you wanted to get rich quickly.
However... while it works well for a single man... it might not work so well for a family of 5 children. That is probably your first mistake.
It is not easy to start a new life as an immigrant. And doing it with 5 children would simply make everything harder.
Yes... 1964 in Australia was still the wild west... particulary if you went in Western Australia. This was still the days where conditions would separate the men from the boys.
Your second mistake was to go to Perth instead of Sydney. Sydney has always be the place to be... and even today... more than two third of immigrants choose Sydney to start their new life.
I did arrive in Sydney as a 19 year old in 1970. And I came by myself. I did it fairly easy compared to you.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
10 Jan 07
My goodness you have some stories to tell I think you should think about writing a book, you have a nice way of writing things...I think you will do well in here...:)
