ARTICLE POSTSCRIPT SONG: This Old Town

For five days in July this year I had the opportunity of travelling with Rob Willis on one of his oral history collecting trips for the National Library of Australia. We met in Bathurst and from there headed north west through Mudgee and on to Coolah where we stopped for lunch. We visited the top end pub to inquire successfully on the whereabouts of "Smithy", who had been a POW in Changi, before continuing on to Binnaway and then to Coonabarabran. It was here we decided to base ourselves for three nights. Having lived in Binnaway for a couple of years in the 1970's, I am always happy to return to this area. It holds so many special memories for me.

Rob and Jim at Baradine

During the following days we interviewed three POWs, two members of Frank Bourke's “White Rose Orchestra”, a former ranger with the Pastoral Protection Board and two ladies who run the Koala Country Crafts Shop in Baradine.

During the recording sessions I observed some of the difficulties faced when extraneous noise is beyond your control. For example, while interviewing in a nursing home, sounds intruded from the room next door as a nurse bathed one of the residents. Rob's management of distractions such as this, as he proceeded to keep the conversation on track, was achieved with a quiet assurance. I also appreciated Rob's ability to gain quickly each interviewee's confidence. I noted his ability to have the interviewee at ease early in the interview and conversing freely, oblivious to the microphones.

Liz and Glenda in their Koala Country Crafts Shop

One of the memorable interviews during the trip occurred in the little town of Baradine, some forty or so kilometres north west of Coonabarabran. We arrived there in the middle of a rather wet afternoon, having come from Binnaway after an interview in the morning. Not having had lunch, we headed for the town's one café and ordered a coffee and salad roll. When Rob informed the lady behind the counter what we were doing in the area, she left us in charge of the shop while she went two shops up the street. She returned with Glenda Johnston whom we soon realised, after a little conversation, seemed to have her fingers in “a lot of pies” in Baradine. With Glenda's consent, we decided to head up to her craft shop and interview her.

The difficulties of unplanned interviews are obvious. But to give Rob his due, he did not seem to be phased at all. It turned out that Glenda was in partnership with Liz Cutts. After setting up in the back room of their shop, a rather cramped room where the ladies did repairs to clothing, Rob decided to interview both Glenda and Liz together. Huddled around a couple of radiators, with the sound of rain beating on the tin roof, Rob began the interview. In the next two hours, give or take a half dozen or so interruptions - remember this was a working shop - Glenda and Liz shared their experiences of life in Baradine and their aspirations for this country town which they care about so much.

Glenda was born in Sydney and raised in Baradine. She returned here in 1967 after her secondary education in Armidale, becoming the first woman teller at the local National Bank. She held this position for eight years. She married and lived on a farm in the district.

The same year that Glenda started at the bank, Liz arrived in Australia from England. After working in Melbourne for three years, she travelled around Australia for eight months. While at Lightning Ridge she met the man whom she later married. He was from Baradine and consequently in 1974 they settled in the town.

Having raised their families here, been involved in local organisations and now running their craft shop in the town centre, both women have observed the many changes their town has undergone and the difficulties it faces. Topics covered in the interview included such things as the importance the prosperity of the farming community has on the prosperity of the town, the need to diversify in farming, the decline in the number of shops, people's shopping habits over the years, the lack of any future for young people in country towns, the problems for the aged when there are limited facilities, and the decline in the market value of homes in the district.

But it was not all “doom and gloom”. Glenda and Liz enthusiastically spoke about the formation of the Baradine Advancement Group which aims to rally those concerned with the town's future and initiate some projects to encourage people to come to Baradine. The first of these is the development of the town's oval to accommodate visitors and create employment opportunities. The idea is to encourage schools and other groups to use the town as a base for their activities when they visit the district. To inform the community and create a forum for discussion, the Advancement Group has resurrected the Cypress Pine newsletter. Rob's skilful management of this interview with Glenda and Liz meant that we left Baradine that evening with a most interesting and informative recording, covering problems which may be occurring in rural areas but should be the concern of all Australians. If some of our city decision makers would listen to the Liz and Glendas of rural Australia, the chance of successful solutions to the problems facing country towns would surely be increased.

I found the whole experience on this collecting trip a fascinating one, as well as thoroughly enjoying Rob's companionship and readiness to share his considerable knowledge concerning the recording of oral history. I appreciated the friendliness of those interviewed and their willingness to give freely of their time to tell us their unique and varied life stories.