Amelia Kunoth facts for kids
Amelia Kunoth (born around the 1880s, died 1984) was an Aboriginal Australian woman. She helped run many famous cattle stations in Central Australia. These included Utopia, Bond Springs, Hamilton Downs, and Tempe Downs.
Amelia Kunoth's Early Life
Amelia's grandfather was Unchalka/Erruphana, also known as King Charlie. He was an important leader who looked after the land around Alice Springs long before European settlers arrived. He decided who could enter his country, especially through a place called Heavitree Gap.
There is a story, told by Arrernte people today, that Unchalka and other Aboriginal men were at Honeymoon Gap when the first European explorer came through. People say that Unchalka met him in a friendly way. He offered the explorer water and showed him the way to the waterhole at Alice Springs. This waterhole was right next to where the Alice Springs Telegraph Station would later be built. Unchalka also shared important information about traditional ceremonies with Francis James Gillen. Gillen was a station master at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station who later became an anthropologist.
Amelia's father was Edgar Pavey, a butcher and one of the first European people to live in Alice Springs. At that time, Alice Springs was called Stuart. Her mother was a local Arrernte woman whose name is not written down.
It seems Amelia was not raised by her father. Her mother died when Amelia was very young. After that, Amelia lived at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. She was "brought up" by the Bradshaw family, who were the family of the station master, Thomas Bradshaw. From a young age, Amelia worked for them as a companion and nurse for their seven children. People said she was loved so much that she was almost like part of the family.
One of the Bradshaw children, Doris Blackwell, wrote about this time in her book Alice on the Line. She remembered Amelia as a very important person in her early life. When the Bradshaw family left Alice Springs in 1908, Doris Blackwell wrote:
Our pretty little half-caste nursegirl, Amelia, wept for days when she learnt that we were leaving. She begged and implored mother to take her too. Like all aborigines, she had come to love the children she cared for as though they were her own, I thought my heart would break. Mother was so disturbed by her grief that she talked it over with my father, but both agreed it would be foolish and no kindness to the girl to take her so far from her tribe, with little hope of getting back if she once grew homesick, as she inevitably would.
—Doris Blackwell, Alice on the Line (1918)
However, other records suggest a different story. Gordon Briscoe wrote that Amelia did not live with the Bradshaws. Instead, she worked as a "day girl." She lived at a camp on the other side of the river. Briscoe described that Amelia would go to work each day, shower, and dress in clean clothes. She worked as an unpaid domestic helper. Then, at sunset, she would leave her clean clothes and return to her camp in old clothes.
Working Life and Family
After the Bradshaws left, Amelia stayed at the telegraph station. She started doing laundry for the telegraph operators and other single male staff. Amelia began a relationship with Harry Kunoth, who worked as a linesman. By 1911, they had two children, though one had passed away.
This relationship caught the attention of Robert Stott, the new senior police officer in Central Australia. Stott was also the Sub-Protector of Aborigines. He was concerned about their mixed-race relationship. Stott made Harry promise to end the relationship. But after another child was born, it was clear they were still together. John McKay, the station master at the time, decided to send Amelia away to Hermannsburg. This was a Lutheran mission.
However, Harry Kunoth appealed to Stott. Stott then changed his mind and gave Harry a license to employ Amelia. This caused some disagreements between McKay, Stott, and Harry Kunoth.
After this, Harry Kunoth decided to leave the telegraph station. For a short time, he worked as a mounted police officer with the South Australian Police Force alongside Stott.
A few years later, before they moved to Bond Springs Station in 1916, Amelia and Harry married. They spent their lives together managing several cattle stations in Central Australia. Amelia worked as the cook for all the station workers and managed their home.
On October 11, 1939, The Northern Standard newspaper declared that Amelia Kunoth "shall not be deemed to be a half-caste for the purposes of the Aboriginal Ordinance 1918 - 1939". This change meant that Amelia would not be limited by this law. This law created "prohibited areas" and placed restrictions on alcohol. It also affected legal rights regarding arrest and employment. The law even allowed the government to remove children from their families. It also made the Chief Protector of Aborigines the legal guardian of every Aboriginal child. This likely had consequences for Amelia's children. Despite this, it is recorded that at least three of Amelia's grandchildren, Sandra, Sam, and Ngala (who became known as Rosalie Kunoth-Monks), spent time at St. Mary's Hostel (Alice Springs). This institution was linked to the Stolen Generations.
Amelia and Harry had eight children who survived. By the time Amelia passed away at the end of 1984, she had more than 50 great-grandchildren and many great-great-grandchildren.
Amelia Kunoth's Legacy
Amelia is remembered for teaching her children to be proud of their Aboriginal heritage. But she also always made sure they received a European education. She is the grandmother of Rosalie Kunoth-Monks. Rosalie became famous across Australia for her role in the film Jedda. She later became very active in her community and in politics.
When Amelia passed away, the local newspaper, The Centralian Advocate, published an article saying:
Mrs Kunoth was a true lady of the bush and was a resident of Alice Springs since the town was surveyed.
On Utopia Station they talk of her as if she was a saint.
In Alice Springs so many children called her "nana" that her real grand-daughter Mrs Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, when young, would shout jealously: "She's my nana, not yours."—Jenny Brands, Centralian Advocate; 09 January 1985
Amelia's spoken history, recorded when she was 97 years old, is available through Libraries & Archives NT: NTRS 226 TS 257.
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