Uncle Willie was removed from his family in Moree by authorities at age 12 and taken to the Kinchela Boys Home on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales in the 1960s, notorious for its treatment of Aboriginal boys and symbol of what would become known as The Stolen Generation.
Despite this, Uncle Willie has only good memories of his time at the government-run institution. During these formative years, he grew up making life-long friends amongst the other boys, some who did not fare as well. “Everyone had their own experience", says Uncle Willie of his time at Kinchela.
Leaving the boys home at 18, he worked at a nearby chocolate factory, and eventually made his way down to Sydney, where he excelled at football and then at boxing. Uncle Willie eventually became Australian Boxing Champion in the bantam division.
Today, Uncle Willie works at Eora College. In his spare time, he takes his bicycle around regional NSW and Queensland, cycling around and exploring small country towns, keeping fit in body, mind and spirit.
He reunites with his Kinchela buddies twice a year, and is supported by the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation.
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