Buderim a historical perspective

So much has changed across the Mountain known as Buderim, yet there remains a seam of history, rich and abundant with stories and memories. These are the people whose families grew up on Buderim and can still recall the days when Buderim was a respite from the hurly-burley of Brisbane. As the price for produce fell and the farmers were forced to give up their land and seek employment, the character of Buderim began to change to a fairly urban nature, where the real estate agents and developers have managed to wrestle a premium for views now becoming more reserved for the financially priveledged.

One Buderim family line marked now only by a street name is "Feeley", here is the story of growing up in 1950's Buderim as told by Rosemary Feeley.

In her own words, Rosemary recalls memories from a very different Buderim and indeed a different Australia!

Living in Paradise in the 1950's and Shadows.

My parents were small crop growers, beans, peas, peanuts, gladiolus for the Brisbane Markets and ginger to the Buderim Co-Op. Yet in this paradise where most people knew each other, my first experiences of racism is still imprinted in my mind, and has had a life time impact on the path way of chosen career.

“Blackbirding” or in fact slavery is part of the history of cane fields and other forms of agriculture in Queensland. At the time I grew up in Buderim (1950-1962) there were several families on Buderim Mountain whose heritage were from the Pacific Islands, known as Kanakas in the early 1900s.

I remember walking to school with a little friend traveling along Mill Street to Buderim State School, her name was Raelene. We were confronted by stone throwing boys who were accosting Raelene. From such early memories of racism, I developed a deep sense of social justice, which inspired me to become qualified as a Div 1 nurse and then a Social Worker.

This image show Raelene and I heading off to school in 1955

My family then moved and farmed adjacent to Lindsay Road, from Martins Creek to the area now known as Feeley Street and Amaroo Drive (called Bonny View Drive when my father subdivided the property in the early 60s).

Many a memory of taking a sandwich and heading off to the waterfall and small creek which bounded our property, pretending that the willy wag tails (which followed me all the way) were my friends. The green snakes in the trees, fishing for eels and bringing them home to the laundry tub. Carpet snakes coiled above the combustion stove. Playing on 44 gallon drums, rolling them along singing with my siblings. Collecting bottles to take to Middleton’s or Fieldings’ Store for a cash return. Sunday school at St. Marks and the arrival of siblings and my father asking me to visit the neighbour to seek a recipe for scrambled eggs!

Memories of my parents in the paddocks when I left school and on my return and when the struggle for a fair return for crops or the impact of floods, my father also was a taxi driver to supplement income. Always a cooked meal and dessert on the table every evening, fresh fruit and vegetables and plenty of exercise. Mr. Toohey (the School Principal) provided encouragement in tennis and many other sports. Maypole dancing and fancy dress balls. We even had Ken Fletcher and other prominent tennis players visit our school.

The memory of a particular teacher whom had little tolerance for my left-handedness, so I would never achieve a cockatoo stamp for an excellent copy book, as the writing was always smudged. (I didn't think to blot as I wrote.) To be told that I wouldn't come to anything and would end up as something worthless or unsavoury. Such methods of motivation from teachers would seem very strange today!) Fortunately for me, this fairly harsh teacher assessment provided an incentive, thus from not being a “bright scholar” in primary level, I managed to forge my way in society.

Another memory from Buderim School days was delivered milk to the school, in crates under the shade of the trees and sometimes there were one or two flavoured bottles, for the pupils who were fast at running!

I wonder where the class of 1955 are now, Grade 1 from Buderim State Primary School?
I would certainly be interested in contact and perhaps a reunion. My email address rosea7@optusnet.com.au. I reside in Victoria however hope to move to Northern New South Wales in 2010, as I miss the warmth of Buderim.

Rosemary FEELEY 20/3/09