“
ABOUT GLADSTONE Located on Queensland’s central coast, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, Gladstone is 520 kilometres
north of Brisbane and 108 kilometres south of Rockhampton. Gladstone is the largest shipping port in the state and has one of the biggest north of Brisbane and 108 kilometres south of Rockhampton. Gladstone is the largest shipping port in the state and has one of the biggest
boat ownerships per capita in Australia and a beautiful, natural deepwater harbour, which is the end point for the annual Brisbane to boat ownerships per capita in Australia and a beautiful, natural deepwater harbour, which is the end point for the annual Brisbane to
Gladstone Yacht Race. The town is homGladstone Yacht Race. The town is home to the Tondoon Botanic Gardens, which specialises in plants of the tropical north, and just e to the Tondoon Botanic Gardens, which specialises in plants of the tropical north, and just
20 minutes’ drive from downtown Gladstone is Mount Larcom20 minutes’ drive from downtown Gladstone is Mount Larcom, the landmark that attracted Matthew Flinders into Gladstone Harbour , the landmark that attracted Matthew Flinders into Gladstone Harbour
in 1802. Gladstone, along with Boyne Island and Tannum Sands has a population of 49,248. Find out min 1802. Gladstone, along with Boyne Island and Tannum Sands has a population of 49,248. Find out more at gladstoneregion.infoore at gladstoneregion.info“There were no iPads, so we played car cricket “There were no iPads, so we played car cricket
and eye-spy, and listened to Slimand eye-spy, and listened to Slim Dusty.” Dusty.”
FROMFROM LEFT LEFT Darren Darren
has fond mhas fond mememories ories
of his childhood in of his childhood in
Gladstone; as an Gladstone; as an
eight-year-old trying eight-year-old trying
his hand at cricket.his hand at cricket.Gladstone is like a little Newcastle; it’s all about power, Gladstone is like a little Newcastle; it’s all about power,
cemcement, alument, aluminiuminium and gas. There’s a coal port there and and gas. There’s a coal port there and
the river was dredged to allow the big ships in. But even the river was dredged to allow the big ships in. But even
though it relied on industry, Gladstone was a pretty little though it relied on industry, Gladstone was a pretty little
town; it even won the Tidy Town award a few timtown; it even won the Tidy Town award a few times.es.
MMy childhood was all about exploration. Freedomy childhood was all about exploration. Freedom was the was the
best thing about it —best thing about it — freedom freedom of space, freedom of space, freedom of choice. of choice.
Grant and I would always race back and forth between our Grant and I would always race back and forth between our
houses on mhouses on my blue Apollo BMy blue Apollo BMX bike. WX bike. We would swime would swim in in
a railway dama railway dam and swing off a rope, and spend hours riding and swing off a rope, and spend hours riding
our bikes through the bush just to see what we could find. our bikes through the bush just to see what we could find.
WWe are a big fame are a big family spread across country NSWily spread across country NSW and and
Queensland. Dad has two brothers and three sisters and Queensland. Dad has two brothers and three sisters and
MMumum has two brothers and two sisters. M has two brothers and two sisters. Mumum’s fam’s family are ily are
cotton and cattle farmcotton and cattle farmers fromers from around M around Moree and Dad was oree and Dad was
fromfrom Ravenshoe, two hours’ drive inland from Ravenshoe, two hours’ drive inland from Cairns in Cairns in
the Atherton Tablelands in the mthe Atherton Tablelands in the middle of the rainforest.iddle of the rainforest.
WWhenever we weren’t in Gladstone we were in the car henever we weren’t in Gladstone we were in the car
on the way to one of those two places. Won the way to one of those two places. We would get in the e would get in the
car and just drive for hours, as a result you will never get car and just drive for hours, as a result you will never get
mme on a driving holiday in Australia. Danielle got the car e on a driving holiday in Australia. Danielle got the car
seat and I got to sleep on the floor. There were no iPads, seat and I got to sleep on the floor. There were no iPads,so we played car cricket and eye-spy, and listened to Slimso we played car cricket and eye-spy, and listened to Slim
Dusty. Dad only likes two types of mDusty. Dad only likes two types of music, Country and usic, Country and
WWestern, which mestern, which means I’ve ended up with a love for Dolly eans I’ve ended up with a love for Dolly
Parton and I know all the words to all her songs.Parton and I know all the words to all her songs.
WWe’d go to me’d go to my aunt’s cattle farmy aunt’s cattle farm in Bowen for Christm in Bowen for Christmas as
and there’d be a teamand there’d be a team of kids, about a dozen of us, all going of kids, about a dozen of us, all going
wild in this stark landscape. I remwild in this stark landscape. I rememember red dirt and a river ber red dirt and a river
that ran behind their old Queenslander, with huge white that ran behind their old Queenslander, with huge white
boulders. Wboulders. We’d go down and scavenge through the rocks e’d go down and scavenge through the rocks
and I remand I rememember those colours so clearly. ber those colours so clearly.
In high school mIn high school my my mates wanted to becomates wanted to become sparkies, e sparkies,
plumplumbers, diesel fitters and boilermbers, diesel fitters and boilermakers and I didn’t akers and I didn’t
really fit in. I excelled at art and I had an English teacher really fit in. I excelled at art and I had an English teacher
in Year 9 who encouraged min Year 9 who encouraged me so me so my gramy grammmar is really good. ar is really good.
I’mI’m now a writer. You know, I didn’t go to university to now a writer. You know, I didn’t go to university to
becombecome a writer; I learnt it at a public country high school. e a writer; I learnt it at a public country high school.
I also studied French at school, didn’t retain mI also studied French at school, didn’t retain much, uch,
never thought I was going to travel and just didn’t see the never thought I was going to travel and just didn’t see the
relevance. And then I ended up mrelevance. And then I ended up marrying a Frenchmarrying a Frenchman. an.
Probably should have paid mProbably should have paid more attention! At the timore attention! At the time e
I didn’t think I could live anywhere bigger than Gladstone. I didn’t think I could live anywhere bigger than Gladstone.
That was mThat was my entire world. I had no grasp of how different y entire world. I had no grasp of how different
it could be. And that’s one of the things about growing it could be. And that’s one of the things about growing
up in a country town. I inched toward Sydney. First up in a country town. I inched toward Sydney. First
RockhamRockhampton, then Brisbane and finally Sydney.pton, then Brisbane and finally Sydney.
MMumum’s house was always pristine. Dad was happy to ’s house was always pristine. Dad was happy to
change colour schemchange colour schemes whenever Mes whenever Mumum felt like it. If she felt like it. If she
wanted to change the dining roomwanted to change the dining room to apricot — to apricot — it was apricot. it was apricot.
MMy bedroomy bedroom had blue and white nautical wallpaper, and had blue and white nautical wallpaper, and
I harangued Dad until he built mI harangued Dad until he built me a bunk bed. Dad was e a bunk bed. Dad was
super handy, anything you wanted built he just did it. That super handy, anything you wanted built he just did it. That
was mwas my first experience of quality and a sense of pride.y first experience of quality and a sense of pride.
I’mI’m always going back to the colour schem always going back to the colour scheme of me of my y
youth. And the colours around Gladstone were myouth. And the colours around Gladstone were mainly ainly
eucalypt trees so meucalypt trees so my whole palette at the beginning of my whole palette at the beginning of my y
career was greens and greys. Even the textures were fromcareer was greens and greys. Even the textures were from
nature; grass weaves, sisal and chunky knits and hides. nature; grass weaves, sisal and chunky knits and hides.
If you look outside and refer to nature you know the colour If you look outside and refer to nature you know the colour
schemscheme is working. It’s had me is working. It’s had millions of years to get it right.illions of years to get it right.
Gladstone was an amGladstone was an amazing place to grow up and I wouldn’t azing place to grow up and I wouldn’t
trade it for anything. But I’mtrade it for anything. But I’m a different person now. I’ve a different person now. I’ve
becombecome a different person several time a different person several times over in mes over in my adulthood. y adulthood.
I’mI’m not even the sam not even the same guy I was six years ago. That’s e guy I was six years ago. That’s
mmy childhood —y childhood — the eighties, a sm the eighties, a small country town, all country town,
one-storey brick houses. It’s a real Aussie backstory.”one-storey brick houses. It’s a real Aussie backstory.”32 32 CCOOUUNNTTRYRY S T S TYYL E L E NOVEMNOVEMBER 2017BER 2017