Ernest Grant interviewed by Gregg Borschmann in the Environmental awareness in Australia oral history project [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 3100256
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Grant, Ernest Brian 1935-, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Written permission required for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2004
- 7 digital audio tapes (ca. 455 min.)
- Series:
- Environmental awareness in Australia oral history project.
- Summary:
-
Ernest Grant, born in 1935 near Tully, Queensland speaks of his Aboriginality, family and early life; "Fringford" owned by the Butler family in the Murray River valley, Northern Queensland where the Grant family lived 1932-1946; government rations; living conditions; his bush education revolving around the river; gives background on the marriage of his parents in 1922; memories of his mother born in 1903; her decision to elope with his father and the reasons why; mentions the Tully River killings; being the chief provider in the family at the age of 16; his schooling; racism; the change in the country since 1935; working at the sawmill at 16, cutting timber and driving a Blitz truck; being taught how to swing an axe; bushskills; fighter planes flying overhead during 1942 World War 2 (W.W.2); the Flying Fortress bombers flying low overhead; Army trucks on the road; the soldiers coming to the farms to buy artefacts and vegetables; coupons; his National Service and the Army changing his life, teaching him discipline.
Grant talks about the Marngal (night herron) paintings at Warrame waterhole; working for the Education Department in 1989; working hard to provide for the family; the 1955-56 cyclone; taking flying lessons; flying solo at Innisfail; his ambition to become a commercial pilot; cutting timber on the Davidson on King Ranch 1964; his encounter with a taipan; meeting his future wife; in 1966 getting married at Mt. Molloy at the CWA Hall; working as scrub boss for Lawson's sawmill at Tully; his move to Goroka, Papua New Guinea to work on a sawmill in the highlands at 8000 feet; the story of the massacre of the Chimbu which reminded him about the stories told to him in the 1950s; wanting to come home; working for Brown River Timber Co.; further discussion of Aboriginal deaths.
- Notes:
-
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this recording may contain names and voices of deceased persons.
- Recorded on April 5-7, 2004 at Tully, Qld.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia;
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (7 p.)
- Subject:
- Other authors/contributors:
- Borschmann, Gregg (Gregg John), 1955-, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Environmental awareness in Australia oral history project.
This collection contains 47 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2074 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2004
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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