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Lewis Beale is a Yuwaalaraay man who was born in Walgett Hospital in 1938. "My father worked at various stations and so the family lived at Dungalear, at the boundary rider's hut at the outstation of Muramana, Bairnkine Station and Sefton Park until about 1947 when we came to Walgett and lived on the Namoi riverbank". While Lewis was at school he did a bit of droving and odd jobs around the town. He never had a lot of schooling and by the age of fifteen he went out to a property called Wolma where he did various jobs. At seventeen he started work in the kitchen and retired after 30 years with heart problems serving as a housekeeper/cook. "I rode a horse in and out of town for fifteen years until I bought my first car in 1965." Meanwhile Lewis' parents had built their own house in town. Lewis nursed his mother through her terminal illness for 33 years until 2000. He now lives in the family house in Walgett with his brother and carer, Victor. Lewis is suffering from illness, but despite this represents the Dharriwaa Elders Group at many meetings and functions. "I enjoy country music and supporting the Bulldogs Rugby League team."
Mary Creighton (nee Morgan) is a Gamilaraay woman who was born in 1942 at Walgett. "I worked at the Walgett Hospital as a Nurses' Aid for quite some time and then I married and started having children. After that I went back and worked on the domestic staff as a relief worker. I worked there up until 1974. My family was all born in Walgett - two girls and three boys. Then my marriage broke down and in 1974 I left town and went to Sydney and that's when I met my second husband Tim who I'd met years and years before. We were married in 1976 and worked as houseparents at Kirrinari Hostel in Sydney, looking after Aboriginal co-ed students from country areas that attended Gymea High School. Due to ill-health I had to retire and we moved back to Walgett. I've now got 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. I was a director of the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service for a year and I've always been involved in local community affairs. The times I'm most happy is when I'm in the Dharriwaa office meeting up with all my friends. This is where we meet and we have a joke and a laugh, discussions and the occasional serious business mixed in."
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| Lewis Beale, Mary Creighton |
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