Bridging the communication gap

Anne Hawker, who can speak four languages, was the perfect candidate for the role as an interpreter at the Bonegilla Migrant Camp.

The year was 1953 and Anne was just 17 years old at the time but she was ready for the job.

Anne, who was born in Holland and came through the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre with her family, has been living on the Border ever since and shared some of her insight into her life and time working at Bonegilla.

Anne and her parents and brother and sister were keen to leave war memories behind and start a new life.

The family lived at Bonegilla for several weeks while Anne's father looked for work.

Anne's first job was at the Jindera Pub where she did domestic work for several months.

Her father followed her to Jindera where he secured work and Anne's mother had another baby in 1954.

Anne later returned to work at the immigration centre as an interpreter after Jindera residents had shown her an advertisement in The Border Morning Mail calling for an interpreter at the X-ray department at Bonegilla.

As she cast her eyes over some of the photos she had taken of her time spent at Bonegilla, Anne recalled working out of the hospital on the grounds of the migrant camp.

It was there that she helped the doctors and nurses interpret for the patients.

“I have very good memories and I loved the work and being friendly with all those people,” she said.

“We were much appreciated by the doctors because we could liaise in English.”

Enjoy the video of just some of her memories of her time spend at the camp where she made many life-long friends.

We hope to catch up with Anne again soon so she can share more of her life story.