Shearing in Western Australia

Valerie Hobson:

I was born in Corrigin in 1936. My parents were farming at Babakin - wheat and sheep. I was the middle daughter of three. Primary school was at Babakin - a one teacher school. We got there by the school bus. For secondary school I was sent to board at PLC for five years. I went to Edith Cowan University and by 1999 I had my Master of Arts Local History. In 2002 I published a book on the history of shearing in WA. In 2014 I was awarded the Order of Australia for preserving the history of WA shearing. Now I am in the just released Who's Who of Australian Women.

Kevin Plunkett:

Born in Bunbury in 1931. Is one of the youngest of six brothers and one sister. During the depression years learnt to live frugally. Dad used to ride hurdles in Victoria when he was young. Now I help my niece with and her husband when they take there horses to Broome for the race round so I am back where I started! Father and uncles were all shearers. I took up shearing in 1953 and did that for many years and worked on the weighbridge for the CBH (Commonwealth Bulk Handling) between shearing seasons. Now I am back where I started helping in stables.

Barry Mainwearing:

I was born in Mt Hawthorn on 6 August 1936. I worked with father in building industry when I left school but when I turned 15 went to the Bridgetown area. The next year I went to Broomehill and worked again as a farmhand on a wheat and sheep farm and I had a quick introduction to shearing. From then on I was interested in shearing as a good way to earn money. I eventually took up a CP (Conditional Purchase) block at Morawa and was able to go shearing whenever I needed money. I have good memories of my shearing years and I go the Shearers Reunions twice a year.

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Yunnan Program

Tina Tang-Clark – Registered Migration Agent

Tina was born in Yunnan Province, China and migrated to Australia in 2004. Tina has worked in the migration industry since 2004 and became Registered Migration Agent in 2012. Tina has helped and assisted clients of many nationalities to migrate to Australia, she is experienced Migration Agent in ENS/RSMS, 457 visa applications, Business Skills Migration and Family Migration Scheme and she is also an art lover embracing cultural richness and speaking various languages.

TaiLan LU – Retired Doctor

Ms Lu had worked as Doctor for more than 30 years in Yunnan Province, China. She also is part time Dress Maker enjoying hand-made embroideries. In the last 8 years, she has busily traveled between China and Perth Australia, she loves beautiful beaches and parks in Perth.

Ray Clark – Service Manager/Truck Driver

Ray was based in Thailand having worked for BPI/Sandvik as Service Manager and various overseas companies for more than 15 years, he was in charge of after- sale service for Philippines, Tai Wan, Indonesian & Chinese market and had heavily traveled around these regions during the period which enables Ray to deeply understand and appreciate local cultural and customs of these regions.

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