Torres Strait Islander Railway Builders - Leaving Island Homes

The bright tropical colours of the coastline of Darnley Island, Torres Strait. Island men bid their families and community farewell. Voice-over narration tells of the choice to go to Western Australia to provide for their families. Historical footage of railway lines in the desert. The colours are now sepia and hot, quite a contrast to the bright colours of the Torres Strait. Titles come up that say The Pilbara Region, North Western Australia. Large earth moving machinery carves up the land. Titles state, In the 1960s, Western Australias growing mining industry needed thousands of kilometres of railway built to transport ore and minerals from remote mines in the desert to port towns on the coast. Already regarded as amongst the best and hardest working fettlers, hundreds of Torres Strait men left their homes to build these railways. Their work and skill led them to break a world record in tracklaying. It has never been beaten since. When the work was over, many returned to the Islands. A handful chose to stay.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Torres Strait
• Australia
• Western Australia
• mining industry
• railways
• Island Fettlers

[missmelman89]

Thanks.. I think my grandad was one of those men working at that time.. I've always wanted to see footage from those days.. THANKYOU!!

[islandwarrior16]

@missmelman89 my pleasure, i also got part 2 & 3 for this too.

just youtube "Torres Strait Islander Railway Builders pt.2" & "Torres Strait Islanders in Western Australia" which is part 3

[mixie6903]

The coastline is of Murray Island (Mer) and not Darnley

[islandwarrior16]

100% sure its Darnley Island (Erub)

[dodoboi08]

@mixie6903 definitely Erub... RIP grandaddy Fred waving in the orange shirt!

[djahfari21]

@islandwarrior16 First shot: Medige Village , Darnley, Second scene: Mer

[gilmorewadyalook]

that's Darnley Island (Erub) all right with the black rocks 100 % sure.

[ktownlad]

Im one of the families which "chose to stay" Im in the early process of organising a similar program but telling the stories of all of the families if not a the mojority. I was sad to see that my father wasn't included in the show, im going to make sure that his story is told.