Violet Parsons was born at the old Batemans Bay Hospital in 1952. Her father, Robert Parsons was also born in Batemans Bay. Robert Parsons’ father was George Parsons. Georgina Parsons and Robert Parsons are half siblings, their father being George Parsons. Violet’s mother was Standlene Chapman [nee Button] from Kempsey.

Violet has spent most of her life in Batemans Bay, attending Batemans Bay Public School and later travelling daily from Batemans Bay to Moruya High School [on the bus allocated to the girls]. Violet lived at the ‘Chapman’s house’, in Batemans Bay. Violet recalls a regular swimming place as being where the Hanging Rock Creek enters the Bay. The family regularly camped at Cullendulla Creek. They would fish, swim and collect Oysters.

During the 1960 and 1970s, during school holidays Uncle Henry and Joan Chapman would take Violet and her family to Nerrigundah in their car to pick peas and beans; the entire family squeezed into the car all the way to Nerrigundah. At Nerrigundah the family camped in a tent by the Tuross River close to whichever farm they were picking. They also lived in the wooden mill huts next to the Nerrigundah sawmill where her father, Robert Parsons, worked from time to time. The women and children would go on bush tucker collection expeditions. Violet saw these expeditions as teaching exercises as the family did not really need the extra food; they had jobs and money to buy food. They mainly grew [and picked] vegetables and purchased meat from the Bodalla Butchery.

Violet continues to live in the Batemans Bay area today.

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