Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

ElaineK · New Member Joined: 08 Apr 2017 Posts: 2

Hi I'm Elaine Kirk. My mum, dad and sister Jacqui moved from Nottinghamshire England to Wollongong in August 1969. Dad had a job to come to at the Port Kembla Steelworks and we lived on Fairy Meadow hostel til September 1970. Mum worked in the kitchen on the hostel. I was 10 and I went to Towradgi Public School. We moved to Dapto after the hostel. I can't believe 2019 will be our 50th anniversary. We're planning a family trip to Fairy Meadow with our extended family to celebrate. Dad always says the only regret he has about coming to Australia was he and mum didn't think of doing it earlier Surprised

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Fairy Meadow Hostel August 1969 - September 1970

Alanw · New Member Joined: 22 Feb 2018 Posts: 1

Hi Elaine
We moved into Fairy Meadow around '68 and left in '69.
I also went to Towradgi primary, I would have been 5 or 6 at the time. My only stand out memory of the school being my front teeth getting knocked out from a swing!
My dad came out to work in the steel works at PK also, he drove an overhead crane in there, not sure if he loaded the smelter or carried cold rolls about. I have a few fond memories of the hostel, midgies and mozzies on hot nights buzzing around the lights outside the porch, the creek nearby where my dad and I woud catch some mullet and fry them back in the hut.
Even had a day out in the bue mountains and visited the set of Skippy at the rangers house up there. Good times as a young lad anyhow.
We went back to the UK in 69 for some reason and came back out to Wollongong in 73/74 to some units in Corrimal, going to East Corrimal primary school. Finally ended up in WA and been here since '75.
Keep planning to go back to the 'gong and see how it is as that's my first vision of Australia, still the best surf and coastline in my opinion.
Anyhow rambling on All the best.