File 2: Photograph album relating to Oodnadatta, Nepabunna and Ooldea, South Australia, 1938-1943

PXA 7774/Box 2

file

1938-1944

Graphic Materials, Photographs

9680410

1 album (125 photographs)

Page 1
1. “Trans-Australian” on which we travelled to Oooldea, Sth. Australia
2. We left Ooldea on the Tea & Sugar Train, staying 4 days at Tarcoola, then to Pt. Augusta
3. Train nearing Alice Springs. Leaving Pt. Augusta we travelled North on “The Ghan” to Oodnadatta

Page 2
1. Looking west along the longest straight stretch of railway in the world
2. How we arrived [three men with a loaded wheelbarrow]
3. [Oodnadatta railway sign]
4. Mission House
5. Mission House
6. Could see lights of train 20 miles away
7. Dora & Rosie

Page 3
1. Old ladies
2. Home children
3. A friendly chat [man speaking with Harry]
4. Blind Johnnie with accordion given by friends in Melbourne. Johnnie had eyes pecked out by crow while Mother out hunting. She left him under a bush but he crawled out.
5. [Man with two women]
6. Camp & home boy
7. Johnnie nearly drove us distracted playing the same tune over & over again

Page 4
1. Some of the people [two women]
2. Some of the people [large group outside a dwelling]
3. Some of the people [senior man]
4. Sleeping outside. Often 100 deg. F. at night
5. Pulling teeth
6. Abo. Home destroyed by flood
7. Home [women and children outside a shack]
8. Our flock outside Church

Page 5
1. Medical work
2. “Home” [ two women with young child]
3. Blind & paralysed refused to come over to Mission for care. Mick looked after Jimmy
4. [Dora giving drink of water to Aboriginal man]
5. “Home” [women and children seated outside a humpy]

Page 6
1. The “Centre” at its best [camels]
2. Indian motor cycle
3. One way of getting wood [motorcycle loaded with wood]
4. Mode of transport to distant camps [men on camelback]
5. Drought [dead cow]
6. Drought [abandoned campsite?]

Page 7
1. [Motorcycle]
2-3. Couldn’t get out of creek in spite of coconut matting
4. Harry & his “mia mia”
5-6. Railway line after flood. No train for a month

Page 8
1. Outside rebuilt church
2. Home rebuilt of hessian
3. The people
4. The Reserve
5. Gospel by pictures. “Willy willy” destroyed home
6. His first bath [Dora with infant]
7-8. Coming for clothing

Page 9
1. Camp 2 miles out by creek
2. Gospel by pictures
3. Medical
4. Home
5. Pointing to “chook” flying over 6ft fence
6. Old T Ford salvaged after flood
7. Later used as camel buggy by police

Page 10
1. Tree burial
2. Tree burial [with rail bridge in background]
3. Harry with ibis
4. Making spear thrower
5. Old Billy
6. Camel train on way to Tanami
7. Fenced in goats water to keep brumbies away
8. Complete with flynet

Page 11
1. [Men with camels]
2. [Men outside hut]
3. Harry camped with S. Giles & G. Sherritt, 2 Govt geologists, for a month in the Walgidgee Creek. 120d. F. 9 miles away a white man perished. Found pre-historic sea slug in creek. Weighed 3 cwt. Sent to Adelaide Museum. Mining celestite, transported to Oodnadatta Railhead by camels
4. Mt Sarah
5. [Alberga Rail siding sign]
6. Shearers camp
7. Camped here on way to Mt Sarah. Dry bed of Alberga Creek

Page 12
1. Alberga Creek, one of the most treacherous in Aust. Only has water in it after flood. A number of people have died from thirst.
2. Overland Telegraph Line. Goes well over 2000 miles to Darwin
3. Preparing for corroboree [group of seated men]

Page 13
1. Cutting hair to give to relative. Ooldea
2. Placing leaves in grave. Ooldea
3. Warming leaves. Ooldea
4. Right arm tied to prevent hitting children. Ooldea
5. Digging grave . Ooldea
6. [Men in ceremonial dress, ceremony site]. Ooldea

Page 14
1. In mourning
2. Completing grave
3. Body placed in sitting position
4. Placing sticks over grave to keep dingoes out
5. Relative [senior man]
6. Rubbing sand on legs to make strong

Page 15
1. Driving spirits away
2. Relative [senior man]
3. Chanting around grave after burial to drive evil spirits away
4. Final ceremonies
5. Second burial

Page 16
1. Man & tribal wife
2. Tribal marks [two young men]
3. Wild cat for dinner
4. Witch doctor
5. In camp [two women]
6. Mud plastered whiskers, Koroni man, Ooldea man
7. Witch doctor. Men to be feared

Page 17
1. Witchitty grub [young man handed grubs]
2. Family [three adults and baby]
3. Corroboree preparations
4. All they possess
5-6. [Men ready for ceremony]

Page 18
1. [Large group of men ready for ceremony]
2. [Four men ready for ceremony]
3. Play corroboree – a way of life
4. Grinding seeds for bread

Page 19
1. Ooldea [two aboriginal men at mining site]
2. Church service – Christmas. Warburton Ranges
3. Mt Margaret girl

Page 20
1. Harry with David, Quorn, SA. Nepabunna
2. Nepabunna Mission 42 miles east of Copley
3. Dora with joey [kangaroo]. Nepabunna
4. Building new dormitory. Mud walls 1 ft thick. Nepabunna
5. Building of last 3 rooms. Nepabunna
6. Building progressing. Nepabunna
7. Finished building. Nepabunna

Page 21
1. Congregation after Church
2. School children
3. Mr Reichenbach & Harry getting wood
4. Mr Eaton using ‘phone by overhead pole onto line
5. Some of the people
6. Nepabunna Creek
7. 20 donkey team getting timber

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Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Titles from captions beneath photographs, unless indicated by square brackets

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are kindly advised that this collection includes images and names of people who have passed, and depictions of men’s ceremonies and funeral practices.

Some captions in the photograph album may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.

In pen on title page: "Oodnadatta Central Australia, 1938-1944 / Nepabunna / Return to Ooldea"

Photographs were removed from their albums for conservation purposes in 2024.