Maria (Riet ) Chilco – Kuipers (family)
| Town/City | Hoppers Crossing - Victoria |
|---|---|
| First name | Maria (Riet ) |
| Last name | Chilco - Kuipers (family) |
| Country of Origin | Netherland |
| Date of Birth | 15/10/35 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1953 |
| Submitted by | Maria (Riet) Chilco, Kuipers |
Story
We left Holland because at the time there was not enough work for bricklayers and Dad thought the opportunities for a family with ten children were better in Australia.
Three weeks aboard the Fairsea was not pleasant. Dad and three brothers slept downstairs and Mum and the other seven were in two cabins upstairs. I was seventeen years old and had a ball. I used to have a good voice and sang a few songs in French (on demand) during the nights of entertainment.
The twelve of us, plus our suitcases, arrived in Ballarat about 7pm in the evening. We were met by a lonely person with his bike. He told us to get on the tram and watch for his signal to get off. At someone’s house we had something to eat and then 7 of us were dispersed to other Dutch families. Our first night in Australia. I was send to a family with 3 boys (15,17,19) all asked me for a date and the mother said I could not stay there.