Rolf Ingvaldsen
| Town/City | Hervey Bay. qld |
|---|---|
| First name | Rolf |
| Last name | Ingvaldsen |
| Country of Origin | Norway |
| Date of Birth | 24th June, 1916 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1960 |
| Submitted by | wenche eves |
Story
Dad emigrated to Australia as there was lack of work in Mo I Rana, Norway, where we lived.
We came out on the S.S.Southern Cross, leaving via the Panama Canal. We had Christmas on the boat, and they put on a special party for the kids and a separate one for the adults. We also celebrated New Year and my birthday. I received a battery operated singer sewing machine in miniature for my birthday. I was 7 years old. We stopped in Tahiti,& Fiji and that’s where I saw my first Fijiian and thought they were “monkeys”, Mum was so embarrassed!
We berthed in Sydney and stayed in a hotel overnight before catching the train to Melbourne. Mum cried and wanted to go home. It was pouring with rain and the hotel was quite “shoddy” compared to our lovely home in Norway.We were at Bonegilla for 2 weeks and then Benalla aerodrome where we stayed for 1 year. Learnt English there and dad became a carpenter.