Katarapko: Oral History of Howard Hendrick

Title

Katarapko: Oral History of Howard Hendrick

Description

An interview in three parts with Howard Hendrick.

Born in Renmark in 1923, Howard lives on the banks of the Murray River at Pyap, near Loxton. He grew up in an underprivileged First World War settlement in Renmark, spending school holidays helping his father on the land picking dried fruit and tending to animals. Howard was a Royal Australian Air Force pilot and bomber in World War II, and commercial pilot for British Airways. When he returned with his brother from WWII he took up an ex-serviceman block near Loxton.

Howard recalls history about: soldier settlements after the First Word War (Renmark, Berri, Barmera, Waikerie); the mix of cultures in the population as a result of the World Wars; training at an army camp at Victor Harbour, and training as a fighter pilot at Deniliquin in 1942; the sinking of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur; experiencing WWII first hand on the south coast of England and as a bomber pilot over Germany.

Howard also discusses: fishing at Ral Ral Creek growing up, a tributary of the Murray River; changes in fish species (the main three being Cod, Callop, Bony Bream); the number of trees and shade along the river bank; fishing methods used on the river bank, and types of bait (e.g. birds to catch shrimp, mussels to catch cod); changes observed in minor and major flood cycles; changes in salinity, and the resulting changes in irrigation practice in the Riverland; yabbying techniques and where they were most abundant; bird nesting and water bird species; snakes; vegetation; floods 1931 (Renmark), 1951, 1956, 1959 (Berri).

Also mentioned: Tree of Knowledge (Berri, marked with flood levels).

Creator

Heather Goodall
Jodi Frawley

Publisher

University of Technology, Sydney

Contributor

Murray-Darling Basin Authority
NSW Department of Primary Industries - NSW Fisheries

Rights

Copyright University of Technology, Sydney

Date

2010-10-01

Access Rights

Open access

License

Interviewer

Jodi Frawley

Interviewee

Howard Hendrick

Location

Loxton, SA

Duration

Part 1 00:17:35
Part 2 00:17:27
Part 3 00:21:58

Item Relations

This Item Is Part Of Item: Katarapko Creek
This Item Was Created By Item: Prof. Heather Goodall
Item: Dr Jodi Frawley
This Item Has Provenance Information Item: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Archive (ATSIDA)
Item: State Library of New South Wales
This Item References The Subject Item: Murray Cod
Item: Golden Perch
Item: Katarapko: Images from interview with Howard Hendrick
Is Related To This Item

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