A Colonial Experience: by David Allison

by David Allison

Coming for a 'Colonial Experience' was the somewhat derogatory term that was given to young men who made their way from the UK to Australia in order to gain 'worldly' and practical experience working on remote sheep and cattle stations (farms). The story tells the tale of a young Scotsman's adventure in the 1970s who initially worked on various jobs in 'Outback' Australia, eventually working as an Overseer on a coconut plantation in Australia's Trust Territory of Papua New Guinea. Australian expatriates who lived and worked in New Guinea didn't generally regard the country as a ‘colonial’ outpost. However, in the 1970s, Australia's vast plantation holdings and its control of the coconut market generated a certain colonial feel. The story gives a detailed account of the work and living conditions of plantation life. There was a wide division in the living standards between the privileged 'white settlers' and their indentured labourers, who even in the 1960s still received their wages in rations. It further tells the story of the stresses and strains of dealing with plantation labour, bringing an individual to breaking point and to another a life threatening experience and the consequent coming to terms with learning a few valuable lessons from unexpected sources.

81 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2018