Guiseppina (Josie) Pasut

Story

[I, Guiseppina (Josie) Esperino, was born in 1938 in San Vito il Tagliamento, a town of some 15,000 inhabitants situated in Northern Italy in the province of Pordenome some 100 kilometres from Venice, the fourth of five children born to my mother and father Giovanni and Maria Esperino.

The surrounding countryside was similar to that around Mildura – a similar climate, flat and dry. Horticulture was the main occupation, with the wine industry the major employer producing well known brands. The landowners were mainly the wealthy, employing managers to run the properties, who in turn, employed the local population. The only other industry was a silk worm factory which employed some 500 women for six months of the year, the rest of the year would be spent working in the fields, or doing housework duties for the wealthy. My father was employed as an agricultural worker, including some time in France. For a while he became a carabineri, until forced to resign with ill health from ulcers after which he became a mobile fruit and vegetable vendor. The country was suffering deeply from the effects of the war and its aftermath. Unemployment was rife. People grew their own food and bartering was common. Despite the deprovation we suffered, it was not all gloom. Sundays were often Feast days. We would gather at different venues for dancing, singing and music.

I did not go to school until I was eight years old. I spent five years at school, then had further classes with the Nuns on Sundays, doing needlework, craft and other activities. I was unable to go on to higher education, my parents could not afford it. Later, prior to leaving for Australia, I did a three months Home Economics course at night. I took some English lessons also.

My mother died when I was eleven years old. She was only forty-nine. It was a very sad time for me. I missed her for a long time. I was fifteen when I started work at the silk worm factory. I worked in the fields when the factory closed off season. Often I went with other girls to other places,. We would all sleep in barracks. My sister married her English soldier in 1946 and went to England to live.

It was at this time I met my future husband, Venenzio Pasut. He, his father and three brothers were doing farm work in the district. There was no other work available. He had just completed his compulsory military training. In 1955, when he was 23 years old he and his brother applied in a Government sponsored program for workers to emigrate to Australia to work in horticulture, in this case, cutting sugar cane in Queensland. Both were successful. In April 1955 he and his brother left Italy in a converted cargo ship the Flamina which landed them at Townsville, in Queensland. They went on to Ingham. The living conditions and the work were very hard. He and I corresponded regularly. Venanzio had a serious accident in his second season, injuring his back, spending six months in Hospital. He was eventually advised to go to Mildura for the grape harvest. Following harvest he gained permanent employment in the packing sheds. He and his brother were able to purchase a house in Red Cliffs. He arranged the paperwork for me to come to Australia. It was a long demanding process.

In April 1957 my father took me, my trunk, and my “Glory Box ” to the station to catch the train to Genoa to board the “Roma” the ship which was taking women, old and young, and children as immigrants to Australia. My fare was 25 pounds.

There were six in my cabin. The meals were beautiful. We did a lot of walking, there was a swimming pool and a cinema. We played cards and other deck games. I was never seasick, though others were. I still keep in touch with one of my fellow travellers who was going to Mt Gambier. We arrived first in Fremantle. A very rough passage to Melbourne followed, arriving at 4.30 am. I will never forget the sight of the sun rising over the panorama of the city and the sea from the Bay. A beautiful sight. A highlight of the trip. I was very happy that day, a good omen for my future in Australia. My husband’s cousin was there to meet me. I was to catch the train to Red Cliffs that evening.

The journey took all night. The other passengers in the carriage with me were very friendly. One offered me a beer, another some licorice, which I accepted as there was no food available on the overnight trip. It was May 17th 1957 when I arrived. Venanzio was there to meet me. He took me to a shopkeeper friend, Mrs King, who was to be of great help to me. Her husband was a kangaroo shooter. A meal Mrs King gave us was kangaroo tail stew. We then went to the house he and his brother had purchased. It was to be two weeks before I was married.

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