Acknowledgement

My travels through the lands of Indigenous Australians

Two weeks before I was born my parents left Collarenebri in the land of the Kamilaroi and moved to East Brisbane in the land of the Yuggera where we lived for most of the next eight years. In 1942 we were evacuated to Reidsdale NSW to dwell in Yuin Country for about 12 months.

The year 1949 found us living in Winton in the traditional lands of the Guwa, before we were uprooted again, this time to Sydney and Eora Country. This is where I lived for most of the next 26 years, apart from two years in The Entrance, NSW, in the land of the Kuring-gai.

In 1976 I moved to Melbourne, to the land of the Woiworung. Then, over the next six years, with my family, we moved back to the land of the Yuin at Moruya, on to Wiradjuri land at Lithgow, back to Melbourne for 12 months and from there to Inverloch, to the land of the Boonwurrung.

After three years in Inverloch, in 1986, we relocated to Katherine in the Northern Territory. Katherine is on land which is the traditional meeting area for four peoples ? Wardaman, Yagman, Jawoyn and the Wagaman Ngan'giwumirri.
Two years later we moved back to the land of the Woiworung - Melbourne - where we have remained for more than 30 years.

In our many trips between Melbourne and Sydney we also travelled through the lands of the Taungurong, Waveroo, Ngarigo, Ngunawal, Gundungurra and Dharug. Most of this time, I was not aware of the different countries I was travelling through or the importance of these lands to their traditional owners; even now, I still have little knowledge of the differences between the languages, cultures and traditions of Australia's First Nations peoples.

In the absence of any fair, respectful and just treaty with all Indigenous Australians, I would now like to pay my respects to all the peoples in whose lands I have lived in and travelled through.