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would help the people return to their community life as much as was possible, despite his age and heart troubles.
David shared the desires of the homesick old people who wanted to die peacefully in their own country. ‘Although
officially classed as ‘totally and permanently incapacitated’ he should be able, with God’s help, to come to their
aid’, Ingrid was to write.
David moved with the people to Sunday Island and attempted to set up a fishing co-operative. Ingrid remained
in Perth where she looked after two grandchildren while they were at high school. In 1970 she visited David on
Sunday Island. She suffered badly from osteo-arthritis, making it difficult to walk, and had to be carried on a bed
frame to the old schoolmaster’s house where David lived. Ingrid wrote ‘my short time there was a happy one,
although most of us were aging and disabled in one way or another’. After hip replacement surgery in 1972 Ingrid
joined David on Sunday Island.
The settlement faced transport and communication difficulties so in 1972 they moved to One Arm Point, on the
mainland opposite. At this time they sold their house to help finance the community and to support themselves.
They also sought government and private support. The federal and state governments sent representatives of many
departments to investigate problems relating to health, housing, education and economic development.
They gained major support from Mr and Mrs Kwong Wing of Fairseas International Trading. The Wings gave
two years of their lives and experience to help put the Bardi people on their feet. Mr Wing aimed to provide the
people with a means of livelihood.
At One Arm Point living conditions were primitive and hard. David and Ingrid lived in a tiny caravan on the
beach where many of the people lived in humpies. Ingrid found life on One Arm Point too difficult so she retired to
Katherine and lived with her daughter Ingrid. Later David joined Ingrid in Katherine where they lived in a caravan
on the end of Ingrid and Flip’s verandah. David, however, continued to visit One Arm Point. While at Katherine
Ingrid did volunteer work at the hospital and helped with elderly people.
In the Queen’s Birthday honours in June 1979 Ingrid and David were awarded the Order of Australia Medal
(OAM) for their service in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. This award held special significance
as it was awarded to a husband and wife who worked so effectively as a team. On Saturday 16 October 1982,
at age 78, Ingrid died at Katherine Hospital, and was buried in Katherine. Her death notice read ‘Went home
to be with her Lord.’ Following Ingrid’s death, David moved back to One Arm Point. On Australia Day 1984
he remarried to Katie Wigan, a part Aboriginal woman, who had been friends with Ingrid and David for many
years. On 29 February 1984 David died in Hollywood, Western Australia. He was cremated and his ashes were
placed at One Arm Point.
During their years of work, Ingrid and David learned a lot from their Aboriginal friends. Throughout Ingrid’s
book she gives accounts of the knowledge she learned from the Aborigines they were with. Faced with medical
difficulties the Drysdales were innovative and ready to learn about bush medicines. They assisted in the welfare of
the Aborigines as best as they knew how and under the influence of the welfare policies of that time.
The Drysdales were greatly respected by those who came in contact with them. Both Ingrid and David were
hard workers who gave their full effort to whatever task they were doing. Ingrid is remembered for her kindness
and her willingness to help others. Since childhood Ingrid recalled that what she desired was to devote herself
to the welfare of the Aborigines. She may be criticised by some as being matriarchal; however, her approach is
remembered as being full of kindness.
J Doolan, The Founding of Maningrida, 1989; I Drysdale, No More Walk About: Stories from Arnhem Land and the West Coast of South
Australia, 1967; I Drysdale & M Durack, The End of Dreaming, 1974; L C Drysdale letter to J Davies, c1990, held by Genealogical Society of
the Northern Territory; D Lockwood & P Roberts, I, the Aboriginal, 1962; Northern Territory News, 24 August 1978, 18 June 1979; 17 October
1982; Personal information from O Drysdale, I Phillips (nee Drysdale), K Love (nee Folland), V Rees and R Weber.
ESTHER KEEF, Vol 3.
DRYSDALE, FREDERICK WILLIAM (FRED) (1923–1969), public servant, businessman and politician,
was born in Darwin on 7 February 1923, the son of Alexander Drysdale, businessman, and his wife
Bessie Francis Phillis, nee Johnson. He was educated at Parap School and Darwin School. He subsequently
worked in the Commonwealth Health Laboratory in Darwin, in his father’s business and on the North Australian
Railway during the Second World War.
After the war he operated a cartage business and was an original member of the Truck Owners’ Association in
Darwin. He later became a Director of Michelin, a carrying and retreading business. Interested in politics, he was
a member of the Australian Labor Party and the Central Progress Association.
Drysdale was elected to represent Darwin in the Legislative Council in October 1951. He was re-elected in
March 1955 and, for the Nightcliff electorate, in December 1962. He was an active and well-liked member of the
Council who frequently participated in its debates.
He did not contest the 1965 elections as he was appointed to the Commonwealth public service. He worked
with the Native Welfare Branch and was Officer in Charge at Warrabri. Missing politics, he resigned and was
elected to the Legislative Council for Nightcliff in October 1968, a position he still held when he died of cancer in
Mount Isa on 15 December 1969, en route to Sydney for treatment. He was cremated in Brisbane.
Drysdale could claim credit for many achievements. He helped start the Nightcliff Youth Centre and the
Nightcliff Sports Oval. A member of various clubs and associations, he was Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge
in Darwin. Drysdale Flats, a government housing complex in the Darwin suburb of Rapid Creek, were named after
him.
He was married twice: first to Joyce Smith and second to Doreen Bullock, with whom he had a son and
daughter. Of medium height, he was slim in build and had fair hair.