Who is Peter Jones
I was born at Katherine in the Northern Territory on 10th August 1940, at an Army staging (tent) hospital at Manbulloo. At 8 days old, I was the youngest Qantas passenger at the time, flying from Katherine to Newcastle Waters, where my father Jock Jones was Qantas agent.
My parents Jock & Michaele Jones operated a store at lot 16 in the township which Jock had purchased from his friend Fred Ulyatt in 1936.
Growing up in Newcastle Waters among the Mudbura and Jingili people, with the constant passing of cattle being driven overland from stations along stock routes to markets, I came into contact with many larger-than-life characters. It was a carefree life for a child, with very few needs and even fewer wants.
Selling-up in 1949, we moved to Alice Springs. Attending formal schooling for the first time took quite an adjustment from my mother’s correspondence lessons.
Passing my “Progress Certificate” in year 7 and being ‘House’ Captain, gave me confidence to undertake high-school away from home. As was the case for many of my school friends, I flew south to Adelaide attending Rostrevor College as a boarder, from 1954 to ’58.
With the death of my mother in ’59, I remained in Adelaide, boarding with a private family. Taking on an apprenticeship with a Precision Engineering firm, while attending night-school at the South Australian Institute of Technology where I gained a “Higher Certificate for Design Draftsmen”. In my final year I was the only student in the state to be awarded a distinction in “Advanced Project Design”.
To extend my employment scope, I moved to a larger company which specialised in the field of “Materials Handling”. There I advancing to the position of Contracts Manager which took me overseas and to all Australian states.
My wife and I were married in the Rostrevor College Chapel on 7 May 1966, and settled in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect, where we raised our 4 children.
With the downturn of the heavy engineering industry in South Australia I transferred to Queensland with the company in 1982, taking up the position as Queensland Sales Manager. After 40 years’ service I retired in 2003.
While in Queensland, I made several visits back to Newcastle Waters after hearing that the National Trust of Australia (NT) were intending to purchase my old home, The Jones Store.
For most Australians, there is a fascination with the outback and the pioneers who settled in some of its most vast and isolated regions.
Over the past several years I have attempted to record memories from my childhood and recall some of the characters whose stories remained vivid in my mind.
It is with great satisfaction that my book, “A Social History of an Outback Store” is now a reality.
You can take the boy out of the bush, but can’t take the bush out of the boy.
I lived with my family in the Northern Territory (Nhulunbuy) from 1982 – 2004. Listening to the Maca program this morning brought back memories of the Territory
Congratulations on publishing the book
I assume purchasing the book via the website is okay
Cheers
Helen Stanton
Thank you Helen for your positive comment. I have been amazed at the number of people who responded to my talk on Macca’s program. Pleased to know it brought fond memories of your time in The Territory. Peter
Thank you so much for your book that we received today 13th June. It is going to be very interesting reading. My father Stan Eldridge built the A.I.M. church at Newcastle Waters in the early 1960’s, he dismantled the Sidney William hut in Darwin & trucked it down. I have some good photos of that process. I lived in Darwin from 1956-1962, my father was killed up there in 1974. Regards Daphne Berry Tewantin Qld
Hi Daphne, great to get your comment. Thank you for sharing you connection with Newcastle Waters through your late father’s contribution to its unique character. Because the church would be included in the heritage listing of the town, the recording of your father’s story and supporting photos are of impotent historic significance. I will discuss this further with you independently.
Just had a quick look from front to back cover. Looks great and will make another addition to our home library. We need more books like this to show how it was done and capture the people, stories and struggles of those who did it hard only to consider it normal. You might say, “How the north was won”. A time when there was little or no bitumen, no mobile phones and no Engle car fridges
Hi Adrian, thank you for you positive comments. Hope you enjoyed the book. Your statement on those “who did it hard” is so true. They didn’t attempt to tame their environment, but to live within it’s constraints. Peter.
Thoroughly enjoyed your book Peter. Wonderful stories of characters and events from times gone by. Must be one of the most comprehensive tellings of Newcastle Waters people. Great to put faces to so many well known names.
Very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the book Luise. My parents and your grandparents were very close and number among the unsung pioneers of The Territory.
Hi Peter
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jones Store.
Great history and stories of interesting characters and photos!
Cheers & thanks for a great read.
Eric
Hi Eric, glad you enjoyed the read. Thanks for you positive comments. Although the many drovers did the same job, some better than others, they each had a unique character that made a lasting impression on my young mind growing up on The ‘Ridge’.
Amendment. The photo on page 62 in my book is of a school pupil at Hermannsburg in 1954. Photo taken by Bill Beatty for his book: Beyond Australia’s Cities, Cassell 1956 . Peter Jones.
My year 6 class had the opportunity today to talk with Peter about his book. After viewing the book, the students had the opportunity to ask the Author questions about the content and comment on aspects they found interesting. Their observations were both varied and showed how they could relate much of the text to their learning about Australia post Federation. The girls accepted on the school’s behalf his book Jones Store for our school Library.
What a pleasure it was to speak with such bright and engaging students.
Congratulations to you Peter and the many other people who have contributed to this outstanding historical representation of many aspects of life in Newcastle Waters. The book portrays the ingenuity, perseverance and resilience of the people of that era who lived in very harsh conditions with very limited resources, and how they progressively built a community to support themselves and others. Photography, art work, and personal recollections greatly enhance the product and heighten the interest of the reader. I believe this book would be a valuable resource for teachers to demonstrate to students the resourcefulness of our early explorers and pioneers in inland Australia.
This is a fantastic book. I’ve had the chance to work in this area and meet some of the locals. It’s a very interesting place and having this history and background makes it even more so. Anyone travelling through this area, or who has an interest in the history of the edges of society in Australia, should read this book.
Peter, You have brought Newcastle Waters and its people, those who lived there, those in the surrounding region, and those who passed through on the various Tracks, to such vivid life with your thoughtful story-telling. And anyone who has the good fortune to hold a copy of the book will be blown away by the beauty and skill of your mother’s art, and by the the incredible photographs from your family collection. This is a book to treasure. Thank you.
I particularly enjoyed the stories about your mother, father, and sister, and about the store itself. You bring the store, which I saw only a few months ago when visiting Newcastle Waters, back to life – the stove inside, the oven for baking bread, the people who relied on the store for all manner of goods.
I recommend this lovely and well written book to any and all who have an interest in small remote places, in the history of the Northern Territory, in the pioneers of northern Australia. Jackie W
In the book ‘Jones Store’, Peter Jones offers his personal, comprehensive, and in-depth insight of life in the outback of the Northern Territory of Australia during the first half of the 20th century. It highlights the pioneering spirit, unique character, and the adaptability of the early settlers, the high respect for the Aboriginal people, and the open-mindedness, integration, and acceptance of the various ethnic races and ideals. Interspersed among the stories and history there are little snippets which demonstrate how the Jones family were an integral and quintessential part of the Northern Territory, and left a long-lasting legacy of their substantial influence which can still be seen in Newcastle Waters and also in Alice Springs.
As well as the history of the Jones Store itself, this book also shares and explains many historical facts relating to the early pioneers, drovers, Aboriginal people, stations, and the Flying Doctor Service, to mention just a few. In particular, this book shows the appreciation of, and gives credit for the skills of the Aboriginal people, and shines light on aspects of culture and government policy which are not dwelt upon in modern literature. It also contains interviews with, and stories about, acquaintances from the area and era mentioned, and adroitly sketches the nature of life in Newcastle Waters.
As I turned the pages, it seemed as if I was actually sitting under the verandah at the Jones Store, and that I was personally watching and partaking as a member of the community.
This book could be interesting reading for someone who has lived in Central Australia. It would also make useful reading for any person who intends to travel in the Northern Territory and wants an insight, and some understanding of the life and history of the Centre. I highly recommend it.