Corringie Aboriginal Settlement
PostScript by Yebble
9th April 1995
This page Updated 1st July 1999. (by Yebble)
I am an Aborigine.
Four new domes were to be delivered by a
company called PPISTC, they sent a team of their men out to check out the
job site ,they then agreed to take on the project. They erected two domes
and two dry compost toilets, and then ran out of money.
So then we had to find $22,000 to finish
the project.
Dry compost toilet
Because of the shortage of water we have erected the above toilet systems to save our good drinking water.
At the beginning of this dome building program we were allocated $200,000., by the Aboriginal Housing Board, Homes west first took over the building program, they made a mess of it ,so this is when PPISTC became involved.
Right from the start I wanted them to give us a breakdown of where the money was being spent so we would know where we were going. I was never able to get any of this information, so the building went on. I find now that material used though new it was crap material that could not stand up to the harsh weather conditions up here, doors were falling of the toilet blocks, door frames not secured to concrete, unprofessional plumbing in shower and wash house, taps pulling out of walls.
1996
PPISTC put in their submission to Homes
west and we put in our submission to complete the project and we were successful.
Wilja Hostel Corringie Settlement got the
contract to demolish 7 houses at Nambi road village Leonora, all the material
was transported to Corringie Settlement with the help from the Shire. All
the material will be used for building purposes out here.
Wind seeker 500 watt wind turbine.
We applied to the (Department of Aboriginal Affairs) Chief Cedric Wyatt for funds for a home power system to upgrade our power supply and was successful in being able to purchase the following items.
1 x Wind seeker 500 watt wind turbine. 1 x tilt tower kit. 1 x cable kit. 1 x DR2424 Inverter Charger. 12 x AS580 2 volt battery cells. 1 x battery stand. 1 x fuse and battery cable. 1 x Transfer switch.
Concrete pad and shed for the Battery Bank and the Inverter plus concrete pads for the tilt up tower and guide ropes were mixed on site by the members of the Settlement under the supervision of Vic Isaacs, Solar Sales transported tower, battery bank and battery rack to site and erected it, with help from Settlement members.
At a latter date we purchased from Solar
Sales Pty Ltd, through the Office Of Energy with the Renewable Energy
Remote Area Power
Systems Rebate Scheme, the following items.
Solar panels erected by members of Corringie Settlement.
These were transported to Leonora and were
picked by myself and taken to Corringie Settlement. Concrete pad was erected
to mount panels on and regulator was set up in battery shed and wired into
inverter. We have an ancient Lister 6 kva generator for battery back up,
so now it is possible to have more power.
We now have our own computer system with
a page on the Internet. also hooked with the Galaxy television, so we can
keep up with news around the world.
1997
We recycle the water from the underground
tanks and use this water for the trees we have planted around the property,
this saves our good drinking water as we have to make sure that water is
not wasted ,as this is a remote and dry area and if we don't get a good
rainfall we can finish up with no water as underground water dries up.
Tree planting at Corringie Settlement.
The ground is so hard that we have to use a jack hammer to break through the ground to enable the roots to go down.
Martin Isaacs on the water trailer
operating pump.
I organized through the Leonora Shire to have our roads and firebreaks graded and rubbish dump pushed up which has been done.
14/2/97 I wrote a letter to the MRD asking
them would they donate a truck load of blue metal dust to our settlement
, which they agreed to. (Metal dust has been delivered)
Ivan & Martin Isaacs 2 of my Grandsons
We have now erected a enclosed Art room where our artist Billy Dean and our young artists can carry on and do their art , also where paintings can be on display.
Beginning of work on art room, (Diontae on scaffold)
Supervisor Vic Isaacs
Painting by Artist Billy Dean Moody. (scenery)
Art room which will be enclosed with green mesh
1998
Started erecting houses that we had demolished from Nambi rd village Leonora we are building them to our own plans, my plans are to build a huge homestead with a veranda right around it covered in with shade cloth to keep out the heavy winds and dust.
Starting to erect new dining room with
material salvaged from 7 houses we demolished at Nambi Road Village Leonora.
Junior Winmar, Ivan Isaacs, William Moody,
Martin Isaacs and Billy Dean Moody.
Ivan Isaacs and William Moody working on the new homestead, my policy is to have the boys & girls engaged in all the building work that has to be done at Corringie Settlement, this enables them to gain the knowledge of building and to take pride in what they have done.
This builds up their confidence to enable them to compete in the viscous outside world where they will one day enter, away from the shelter of Corringie Settlement.
Martin & Alan helping to put the roof on new homestead.
On the 31st March Barry Cable and Jenny Day came to Corringie Settlement with a film crew from NSW to do a program about Barry Cable, they choice our place to do part of the film. They are with ABC Australian Story channel 2, so hopefully we will get a bit of coverage through the TV.
On the 2nd May 1998 Barry Cable and Jenny Day have organized an art exhibition and auction in the centre of Perth, Billy Dean and Ivan will have about 12 paintings display.
Artworks are available for sale: email enquiries
Painting by Dean Russell Moody. (snake)
Last year I was at a meeting in Kalgoorlie and the manager of the main Aboriginal community was crying out that they were living in third world conditions, yet they are Government funded, this community is just out of Kalgoorlie.
Other communities in remote areas have everything set up for them before they move in. White contractors move in and build every thing and then move out, Aboriginals are then left to themselves with no knowledge of what to do if anything goes wrong, and with no idea of how to do any repairs or maintenance to the homes. This is what happens when our people have their lifestyle stolen away from them, when the reserves are sold to mining companies and mining companies take over pastoral properties and the Aboriginal stockmen are left with no employment, so they finish up on the outskirts of the towns and they cannot adapt to European way of living.
Aboriginal stockmen who were the back bone of the Nation
When I look at all the other communities, and read of all the dollars that have been wasted I realize how far ahead of every one else I am.
It makes me proud to be the son of Harry & Pauline Isaacs and the Grandson of Sam (Yebble) Isaacs who built his farming property "Ferndale" on the banks of the Margaret River not far from Wallcliffe House, back in 1876, He cleared the land, built his home and raised his family there, he was illiterate and was unable to read or write.
Kyrone King Isaacs helping with the work.
Family group Corringie Settlement
These are my plans for Corringie Settlement to build this place up so my children can live here free from the mad viscous circle of drink and drugs in the city.
On weekends and holidays we always make sure we go bush to relax and enjoy our way of living and to teach our young people our ways to survive in the bush and our laws and culture, which has been handed down to us from our elders who have gone before us.
Beau-Blaze
Bull-Mastiffs of Corringie Settlement.
As we are living in a remote area, we need to have large strong guard dogs on hand, to take care of trespassers, and to keep dingoes under control. This dog is named Beau- Blaze he is 2 years old and still growing. I reared this dog from a 8 week old pup.
After many hard and desperate years, I was like a voice calling out in the wilderness, for the basic God given right to be able to choose where and how to live on the land of my birthplace.
Early this year 1999 we were fortunate enough to be granted a sum of money to upgrade our Power Supply with a new Duetz generator and all new wiring to every dwelling, also a bigger battery bank and inverter, all this is now enclosed in a brand new sound proof shed.
We now have power 24 hrs a day, so instead of stumbling around in the dark now we can get up and switch on a light.
My opinion is that any Aboriginal family group who choose to move
back to their homelands should be encouraged to do so with full support
from all agencies, they should be given a grant of land of their chose,
(which is not to be sold). Aboriginal Affairs money would be better spent
this way. ( Lets have some comment on this).
Email
to Yebble below
V.J.Isaacs Wilja Hostel Inc Corringie Settlement PO Box 232 Leonora 6438
0890375189
Internet http://www.west.com.au.corringie/
Email yebble@ludin.com.au
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