Stephen & Claire Byrne

Story

The Ireland we left in 1975 was a fractured and dangerous place. There was political unrest and violence was rife not just in Northern Ireland but also in the South. It didn’t seem like the best place to live, work and raise a family as we hoped to do. We were young, adventurous, independent and seeking challenges, the opportunity to migrate to Australia on an “Assisted passage” was the ideal escape for us.

Initially we had romantic visions of cruising on a large ship, visiting exotic ports and having a honeymoon on the way to our Australian paradise. Immigration soon put the brakes on that dream when they informed us that if we chose to sail to Australia that they could not guarantee that we would be in the same berth, maybe not even on the same deck !! As a young newly married couple that was not an option. We chose to fly, not fully comprehending the enormity of the journey, but eager to start our new life, a trip of three days was inconsequential. We left Ireland in the depths of winter with snow deep on the ground in February. Our journey was to take us via London, to Frankfurt, then Bahrain and on finally to Sydney. Our ultimate destination was Adelaide, but we felt that once we got to Sydney it would be plain sailing.

Our families were devastated, even in 1975, Australia was the ends of the earth as far as they were concerned, we had a farewell party that was more like a wake, I’m sure they thought that they would never see us again. I pictured how it must have been when the early immigrants left to sail to Australia, knowing then that some would never see family again. The “safety net” we had was that although we were “ten pound tourists” we only had to stay for two years before we could return if we didn’t feel that Australian life suited us, and our parents promised that they would help us out if the need arose for airfares. They needn’t have worried, we loved the lifestyle, the people, the climate, the opportunities and settled in to a life that we have lived ever since in Gods own country.

When we finally arrived in Adelaide, the middle of a stinking hot summer (40 degree day) I was wearing a woollen “going away suit” which in those circumstances was ludicrous. Claire had been crook since we’d left Germany and swore that she would go no further than Sydney. I had to cajole her onto the flight to Melbourne and then basically carry her onto the plane to Adelaide. We were met at the airport and taken to the Migrant Hostel at Pennington, which consisted mainly of Nissen huts, although families with kids had the luxury of Fibro units. We were given a set of cutlery each and a mug which you took with you to the dining hall for meals. We used communal showers and toilets, I remember Claire insisting that I stand outside the womens block while she did her ablutions and having to shout to her to assure her that I was standing guard. Cyclone Tracey had struck Darwin in December, and there were a lot of displaced people being housed in the hostel temporarily, there were people of all nationalities and all colours there, it certainly was a melting pot of humanity, and here we were, two young naive newlyweds cooking in the stew, literally !! It was the greatest incentive to get on our feet and find a place to live, having lived my entire life so far in Irish mountainous countryside, I was determined to live near a beach, and that is where we were fortunate enough to find a flat. we have lived by the sea for all of our lives in Australia and love the pristine beaches and magical waters that surround us. We have raised two beautiful children, they have received a good education and I hope have enjoyed a happy upbringing. Our daughter Sarah has since pulled a “reverse immigration” on us and is now happily married with one daughter and another grandchild on the way and living in Ireland ! Our son Stephen is quite content to call Australia home, he has had the opportunity to travel, the world is a much smaller place these days, but I’m sure, like us, he will remain in our country and continue the story of the Oz Byrnes.

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