Peter Brownlow
| First name | Peter |
|---|---|
| Last name | Brownlow |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 31/10/36 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1966 |
| Submitted by | Susan Thomson |
Story
Peter Bryan Brownlow & Theresa Brownlow emigration to Australia October1966
I was finding it very hard to settle down in England after being abroad in Malaya doing my national service 1958 Ð 1960; also the winter month\’s had a detrimental effect on my wife Theresa\’s health who suffered from bronchitis.
One Sunday in one of the national newspapers was a supplement saying ‘Come to sunny Australia’ and that put the initial seed in our minds. Then we started to talk about it more seriously.
We also thought Australia would be a good country to bring up our children Susan (6) and Peter (3). We felt we had something to offer Australia as I was a tradesman (moulder) and my wife Theresa was a double certificate registered nurse.
Having made the decision we said our goodbyes to family and friends and then set off by rail to London from where we would fly to Australia.
It was then that it really sunk in what we had embarked on, a long journey through different countries, to a new country Australia where we knew no-one. It was a big responsibility and quite scary at times, but there was also that feeling of adventure, and what the future would hold for us all.
The flight was on a Boeing 707 from London Ð Rome Ð Delhi Ð Rangoon Ð Hong Kong Ð Darwin Ð Sydney and was a long and tiring journey especially for the children. At one point our son had had enough and wanted to play outside (we were flying somewhere over Afghanistan)!
On arrival at Sydney we were received very well and people were very kind and helpful to us. The next few months we had to get used to life at Unanderra hostel near Wollongong. We settled into a routine and began to learn a bit more about our new country.
After only three months in NSW I decided the best place for us to settle would be Perth in WA for job opportunities and a much warmer and dryer climate for my wife.
On arriving in Perth we were invited to our first ‘Aussie Barbie’ and we were told to bring a plate. On discussing it for a while we decided if they didn\’t have enough plates, we should take four plates as there were four of us going. I then took it a step further and said if they don\’t have enough plates maybe they won\’t have knives and forks, so we took them also. When we arrived the hosts and guests laughed and we never made that mistake again!
Two years after our arrival we moved to Dumbleyung a small bush town in the WA wheat belt. My wife was the matron of the local hospital and I took on various roles as shop assistant, nursing assistant and ambulance driver. Everyone had to pitch in together to support the community as a whole. It was here I met some amazing old characters (long term residents) of the hospital and spent many hours listening to their tales of how they survived as farmers in the bush.
Our children grew up, married and had their own children. We are all Australian Citizens and proud of it, and we have never regretted the decision to settle in this country. I would always encourage and recommend others to do likewise.
Yours Faithfully
Peter Bryan Brownlow (Senior)