Name: Richard Davis
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Occupation: ITeC Aboriginal Enterprise Development Officer
Age: 53
Holiday location: Port Kembla beach
Funny enough my fondest childhood and happiest summer memories were actually spent at home on Port Kembla beach.
I grew up at Coomaditchie reserve at Kemblawarra and most of the kids who lived on the mission would walk together to the beach and spend the entire day there.
It meant there were lots of kids to play with and we always looked out for each other.
Sometimes we’d take our lunch but on most occasions we’d have a few cents to buy hot chips with tomato sauce.
The smell of hot chips and sauce would make us so hungry that we’d line up to place an order, but often we’d sneak to the front of the line. We couldn’t help ourselves.
I remember we’d also swim at Port Kembla pool where there used to be two diving boards, a big one and a little one.
We’d play and show-off our diving skills which at the time we thought were pretty great, but in reality were not much at all.
We were at the pool so often during the summer and on weekends that the lifesavers would know all us Koori kids by name.
We would get into trouble for doing the wrong thing, like running or dive bombing.
They were good to us though, always giving us second, third and fourth chances. One in particular was very understanding.
Another memory that also sticks out is the sand getting very hot.
We would run to get to the shaded areas under the trees until we made it to the beach. In the afternoon we’d wait until we were all together before walking home.
A lot of the time there would be strife from our parents for arriving home late. We had other holidays at Nambucca Heads, where my mother’s family lives, but I remember it was always good to come back home to Port Kembla Beach.
Our last two holidays have been on cruises to Vanuatu. I like the laid back lifestyle of the people there, they are so friendly. It’s just a great relaxing holiday.
In the future I’d like to experience more of Australia, Kakadu, the Great Ocean Road and the outback. I’d like to also go to visit America and see the Grand Canyon and New York.
I’d like to see the world really, it’s an amazing place, it’s a pity that most places are so far away from Australia.