THIS Australia day will be a special one for Barbara Clarke, having something very precious replaced after years of being lost.
Barbara was the recipient of the Order of Australia medal in 1977. The medal was presented to her at a ceremony in Sydney by the governor general at the time, Sir John Kerr.
Now affectionately known as Aunty Barb to friends and family, at the time she said she felt scared and frightened receiving her medal at such an important function.
“I was a little shy girl and didn’t have a mouth on me. Now I don’t let anybody put it over me,” Barbara laughed.
“The medal made me feel so proud, I still don’t know who nominated me,” she said.
A few years ago the valued medal was lost and Barb settled with the idea of never seeing it again. But thanks to the work of a close personal friend, Bob McMillan, the medal will be replaced and presented to Aunty Barb at the Australia Day festivities tomorrow in Taree.
Barbara originally received the honour for her dedication to the children of Purfleet for more than 20 years while she worked at the Purfleet Preschool.
At the preschool she cooked meals, read stories and taught the children manners and right from wrong. She enjoyed everything about her job, but still remembers the harsh conditions faced by people living at Purfleet.
She has seen countless children grow up with most making good lives for themselves, and even having children of their own.
Barbara also grew up at Purfleet before moving to Muldoon Street in Taree in 1968 with her husband Tom. The couple bought a two bedroom house and started out with nothing. Through very hard work, they renovated to add two more bedrooms.
“Tom was a builder and never went without work. He would often do favours for other people, all out of the goodness of his heart. He was lucky to have people return the favour” she said.
The couple had 10 children and many grand and great-grandchildren, with Barbara loving every one of them equally.
She has always put others before herself, raising her children, two grandchildren and caring for two ill aunties through the years. Now she is kept busy by helping people in need make their appointments.
“People know they can rely on me,” she said.
Barbara and Tom have always helped both the Aboriginal and white community in good faith, never expecting anything in return. She would love to see more people do good things for others, out of the goodness of their heart.
The two are now settled in Wingham, where they have been for 24 years.
In an event that has never happened before, a Biripi elder and a white balladeer will recite together a poem written especially for the Australia Day ceremony in Taree. Bob wrote a special poem for Barbara to be presented on the occasion. The two hope to join together, to spread a message of inclusiveness and to celebrate harmony.
Barbara will also perform the welcome to country at the Australia Day ceremony, as she usually does.
“It means a lot to me doing the Welcome to Country. I think we should go forward and be one,” she said about Australia Day, which is sometimes referred to as ‘invasion day’ by indigenous Australians.
Aunty Barb’s philosophy is “We all come into the world the same way and all go out the same way.”
“This country is big enough for us all,” she said.
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