Researcher uncovering role of Indigenous farm hands

Delyna Baxter: building a bigger picture

Indigenous people are to be recognised for their roles in developing Australia’s pastoral industry.

Researcher Delyna Baxter will spend 18 months finding the stories of individual men and women for a permanent exhibition at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame at Longreach.

“This project will enable people to talk about their valuable experiences (of) working in the pastoralist industry,” she said.

“(It will) endeavour to build a bigger picture on the positive contribution Indigenous men and women have made and, in doing so, shed more light on the pastoralist industry.”

Delyna said the pastoral industry owed much of its success to the knowledge and work of Indigenous people.

“In the past, and possibly even in the present, you have individual families who …lived and worked on country and knew a lot about the land and how to work cattle and horses,” she said.

“They have a really deep knowledge of their country. Graziers and land owners would have really learnt a lot from Indigenous people because of (their) immense knowledge of the land. That’s the kind of things I’d like to see come out of it — the more positive view.”

The project is backed by $190,000 of federal government funding and will, according to actor and Hall of Fame life member Jack Thompson, right a long-standing wrong.

“In the past cattle properties had white owners and white drovers but the rest of the workforce was black,” he said.

“It’s never been acknowledged. This project will draw attention to an area of our history that’s been ignored.”

Delyna began her work as project researcher on 31 January.

“I’m excited about this project — it’s a great forum and place for Indigenous men and women to share their stories with Australians and our visitors,” she said.

Delyna’s research has three categories — the past (predominantly research); the present (interviews with retired people); and the future (interviews with young Indigenous people who are currently working on the land).

“I’ll be interviewing both the younger and older people who’ve worked as stockmen and women,” she said.

“There are a lot of older people who’ll have a lot to say — we would like to hear their very important stories. This is the right time to tell their story and recognise their valuable contribution to the pastoral industry.”

People who want to contribute their stories can contact Delyna on 0417 534 917 or at
delyna.baxter@stockmanshalloffame.com.au