Ella, Mason and Stewart Clan

Ronnie Mason, Vivienne Mason, Vanessa Mason and members of the Stewart / Ella families including Roslyn Ella Field, Karen Ella Bird, Sarah Puckendge, Marcia Ella Duncan, Carly Puckendge, Daniel Ella, Jackie Puckendge, Lauren Ella Duncan, Maddison Ella Duncan, Phil Duncan, Glen Ella, Julie Ella, Jessica Ella, Ron Mason, Sharon McKinnon, Alex Laughlan, Jessica Anderson, Rodney Ella, Amanda Wood, Teri Ella and Kevin Bird were interviewed at Mummuga Lake January 2006. The group camp at Brou / Mummuga Lake annually and have done so for at least six generations.

In the school holidays, the family would camp at Lavis’ farm, Bodalla to pick peas and beans, and catch up with family.

‘It was a working holiday: there were 10 of us, our mother and father could only afford to have a holiday this way. They would let us keep the money and we would spend it at the Red Rose Café in Moruya. Before that, we visited, I must have been carried, I recall being amidst the peas and being left at Bodalla at Nana Bella’s, in old timber mill hut…’ Marcia Ella Duncan

“….when we are back in Sydney……we say we are Yuin people, even though we have never permanently lived here, but we are proud of our connection to Yuin, might be part of the La Perouse mob, but we are black duck, Yuin people. ‘I grew up at La pa, but I am Yuin from the South coast….” Jacqueline Puckendge.

Excerpt from Stories About the Eurobodalla by Aboriginal People, 2006. Story contributed by Martin Ind from Moruya High School.