Dean's Story

Dean is a kind, gentle, and unassuming man. He identifies as Aboriginal and has Indian and Scottish heritage. His grandfather bought some of the first camels to outback Australia from Punjab Pakistan and his great grandfather on his mother’s side was from the Campbell Clan of Argyle.

Removed from his parents at age seven and placed in the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children’s home, it was years before he saw his mother again. “The giant redheaded woman that guarded us would lock kids that misbehaved in the chook pen and not allow them food. My sister was badly traumatised by it all.”

The Aboriginal Land Council provided a caravan for Dean’s family in Eden, but with 12 children, many were sent to live with Aunts and Uncles. “My grandmother eventually came and got me and took me to live with her in Warilla. It felt good to have a safe place to live. We went to family camps with cousins where you could ride horses, fish, play music around the camp fire and just play with other kids. There was time for storytelling. It was really fun.”

Dean enjoyed school but left early due to relentless racism. He married in Canberra and had five children, who are now living scattered around the country. He has had many jobs over the years, from oyster farming, working in the steel industry, and as a driver for the Aboriginal Medical Service in Canberra before a stroke forced him out of the workforce. “I use bush medicine to maintain my health, and gather all the native herbs from the top of the escarpment, Windang, Primbee and South Nowra.’’

‘’I worked with Jenny Stewart in the 80’s to help get Housing Trust off the ground. I would go out and find houses for Housing Trust tenants. She gave me one to rent which meant a lot. I can’t imagine where I would be now without my safe and affordable home.”