PEOPLE WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY IN REMOTE COMMUNITIES NUMBER 34 WESTERN QUEENSLAND HOMELANDS PROJECT JEANNIE LIDDLE: EDUCATOR AND CAT BOARD MEMBER RAINWATER HARVESTING POWER UP WITH E–TOOLS INVESTING IN THE OUTBACK BUSH TECHS: COOLER LIVING IN ARID AREAS • USING A MOBILE PHONE OR SATELLITE PHONE IN REMOTE AUSTRALIA NUMBER 34 ISSN: 1325–7684 Jeannie Our Place Magazine is printed on a 55% recycled paper and Liddle BUSH TECHS are printed Educator and CAT Board member. on a certified green paper. Printed by Colmans Printing using a Jeannie Liddle has a passion for chemical free plate process and vegetable Indigenous education and has worked as based inks. an Educator for many years. She is also a Centre For Appropriate Technology (CAT) 3 bushliFE Board member. JeaNNie LIDDle: EDUcatoR AND CAT boaRD MEMBER. Story by COLLEEN DANZIC 5 NEWS Our Place is published three times a eannie Liddle’s life Jeannie was born in Adelaide Grammar School. She took it all in 7 projEcTS year by the centre for Appropriate is interwoven with around the end of WWII. When her stride, believing that ‘this is just Technology, an Indigenous science and WESTERN QUEENSLAND HOMELANDS PROJECT technology organisation, which seeks to institutions that revolved she was two years old, Jeannie, her what happens to Aboriginal people’. Members of the North Queensland CAT office visit Marmanya to kick secure sustainable livelihoods through off a new project designed to provide support for looking after housing around the removal of mother, uncle and aunt returned to But she was very concerned by what appropriate technology. infrastructure and services. Story by YOSI HENIG Indigenous children from Alice Springs and lived in the Gap had happened to her brother, who had SUBScRIPTIONS: their families. Her family Cottages (near where the Gap Motel been separated from her and she had 10 livelihoods Free to people living or working in have three generations affected by is situated today). The cottages were no idea where he had been taken. She Indigenous communities. J RaiNwateR HARVESTING ‘Stolen Generation’ policies; Jeannie’s transitional dwellings provided by was told he was at another school and Rainwater harvesting is helping people to stay on country in Mabunji Tel: (08) 8951 4311 Email: [email protected] Grandmother, her mother (who was the Native Affairs branch for part- they would be given the opportunity outstations. Story by HELEN SALVESTRIN born at Deep Well Station), and herself. Aboriginal people who, once they of spending time with each other, but Opinions expressed in Our Place Her family are East Arrernte demonstrated they “could live in a that never eventuated. Even though 13 technologY are those of the authors and not people. Her Grandmother was born house”, were eventually provided with her brother was at a Grammar school POWER UP necessarily those of the cAT Power Up with E-Tools is a online resource for Indigenous people Board or staff. at Undoolya. She was moved to Santa standard public housing. in Ballarat, only 70 miles away, it was working in or wanting to learn multimedia. Story by ALICIA BOYLE Teresa mission, then to Arltunga and Jeannie had a fun childhood living three years until she saw him again. WARNING: This magazine contains then moved back to Santa Teresa there. She recollects some stories Despite all the heartbreak of being images of Indigenous and non-Indigenous BUSH TECH LIFT-OUTS people. caution should be exercised while during WWII, before being taken of spending time with other CAT separated from her family, Jeannie is • COOLER LIVING IN ARID AREAS reading this magazine, as some of these to ‘The Bungalow’ in Alice Springs Board members who grew up in glad that she and her brother were • USING A MOBILE OR satellite PHONE IN REMOTE AUSTRALIA images may be of deceased persons. (formerly the Old Telegraph station) ‘The Cottages’. Her family eventually able to receive a good education — Our Place Number 34, April 2009 which was used for about three moved to the east side of Alice. an opportunity which their mother 16 opinion © centre for Appropriate Technology Inc. decades as a Children’s home and Jeannie remembers to this day and grandmother never received. INVESTING IN THE OUTBACK 32 Priest Street, Alice Springs NT 0870 school for children of ‘mixed race’ who the exact date, 8 May 1959, she and Jeannie will never forget the day A Framework of Indigenous Development within Australia. Print Post: 545270/00016 Story by BRUCE WALKER, DOUG J PORTER AND MARK StaffoRD SMITH were removed from their families. her brother were informed they were she started school. All 1500 girls were Production/design: colleen Danzic Jeannie’s mother, uncle and aunt going on a ‘holiday’ but not told where rushing around getting ready, putting 19 DVD REVIEW Editing: Metta Young, Peter Taylor were taken away from their family they were going. Jeannie and her on ties, starchy shirts, stockings in the early 1930’s to work at a dairy brother were very excited. When their and suspender belts. The other girls NoRTH AUstRaliaN INDIGENOUS LAND The production of Our Place is AND SEA MANAGEMENT ALLIANCE DUGONG funded by the Department of Families, farm in the Adelaide Hills near Mount plane landed in Melbourne they were helped Jeannie get dressed while she AND MARINE TURTLE PROJECT Housing, community Services and Barker. They were promised an so overwhelmed — what a difference wondered what on earth were these Message Disks 1, 2, 3 (Collectors Edition) Review by COLLEEN DANZIC Indigenous Affairs. education, which they never received, to Alice Springs! things she was supposed to wear! and had to do dairy work as well as In Melbourne Jeannie was sent Every Sunday, Jeannie and the housekeeping. to Firbank Church of England Girls continues page 4 > OUR PLACE MAGAZINE 34 3 From a very young age Tertiary Education joining together to form the Desert Peoples Centre Jeannie had always wanted to (DPC). ‘I hope Aboriginal people be a teacher to help people. really embrace what is happening at Crowne Plaza Solar the DPC and make changes in their She always believed education lives. When young people see what Photovoltaic System launch would increase opportunities can be achieved by their older family One of the Gap cottages. for Aboriginal People. members who went to school and gained qualifications, they realise that other boarders wrote letters to family, Jeannie felt that with her nursing it is important and they follow in their TrainingPlus but Jeannie was unsure if her family background she would be suited to this footsteps.’ ever received them. Perhaps they role. She got the job and really enjoyed ‘Aboriginal People need to he TrainingPlus Program (TPP) didn’t have anyone to read the letters working at this school. understand what is needed to survive Tcommenced with its first group of to them. She then became a Home Liaison in the world today. You can’t expect participants on 2 March 2009. In Year 11, Jeannie turned 17, Officer, negotiating between the school others to look after you. You’ve got to The TPP works with unemployed Aboriginal which meant she was no longer a and parents about concerns with stand up, be strong, and participate in people from Central Australia around training, Ward of the State. The school allowed schooling. She moved to Alice Springs the journey. Hopefully, the programs education and employment. It has been her to stay to the end of the year. She High School and she really loved that will be offered through the DPC funded as a pilot strategy to help Indigenous was then given the remainder of her working there so much she stayed for will give them that confidence and unemployed better navigate transitions into ‘Child Endowment’ (the equivalent 18 years. provide opportunities.’ training and employment. of one dollar) and put out onto the Jeannie worked with both ‘With the emphasis on Conserv- Like other pre-employment programs street. Jeannie didn’t know what to do Indigenous and non-Indigenous ation these days, and with all the n Wednesday 18 February a 305.4kw PV Solar System was launched TPP works with individuals to develop or where to go. children and their families. At the bush tucker that is being grown and Oat Crowne Plaza in Alice Springs. This installation is the largest training and career plans, as well as Jeannie really wanted to be a school they developed a breakfast produced, (these things being taken roof-mounted solar system in Australia and is part of a $4m investment in reinforcing employability skills such as teacher, but it required a lot of money program to encourage the children note of around the world) and the renewable energy efficiency at the hotel. The installation will reduce the punctuality, communication and team work. to go to teachers college. Instead she to come to school early for breakfast knowledge that Aboriginal people have hotel's energy consumption by 40–80% (depending on the time of year). The TrainingPlus Program also has some became a nurse and was provided and do their lessons. Sometimes the about these things that has helped The project was managed by CAT Projects and partially funded by the distinct advantages in its ability to broker accommodation, meals and a salary. Aboriginal children brought the white them survive all these years, we really Australian Government. accredited and non-accredited training Her brother meanwhile, had kids along with them. It was good for are in the “box seat” in this area if we for its participants. Being one of the first befriended a German family. The the Aboriginal children to see that do it properly.