Landed in Kieta September 1971. Worked as a fitter on haul trucks, then a couple of stints at the Screen house before leaving the Island February 1976. Like many others have commented, the work and lifestyle leave me yearning to see the place again, even knowing that the magic of those years can never be replicated. Names remembered included Lik Lik Lew Higgins, Kiwi Tony Mcdonald, Ted Rogalski, Garry Mills, Badman Stewart and of course John Davo Davison to name a few. Moved on to work for 36 years in underground coal and have settled just south of Mackay. Have browsed this site many times looking for names and people's experiences. One memory was of a crew trip down the coast in an Isuzu manhaul with much liquid refreshment. One person brought to our attention some electric blue butterflies with the statement that one in the hand was worth a lot of dollars and a lot of unsteady hunters evacuated the vehicle seeking the reward. A lot of sore and sorry persons returned to the manhaul with no prize.
Ken Mills
ken.mills7[AT]bigpond.com
