Amelia Kunoth

[1][2][3] Kunoth was the granddaughter of Unchalka/Erruphana (also called King Charlie) who controlled the land around Alice Springs before the white man came and decided who could enter his country through Heavitree Gap.

[5] There is a story, told by Arrernte descendants today, that Unchalka and other Aboriginal men were at Honeymoon Gap when the first white man came through the area.

When the Bradshaw family left Alice Springs, in 1908, according to Blackwell:[7] Our pretty little half-caste nursegirl, Amelia, wept for days when she learnt that we were leaving.

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.Kunoth recalled in her oral history that she never attended school and that, although, there was no formal school set up in Alice Springs at that time Atalanta Bradshaw, the wife of Thomas Bradshaw and Blackwells mother, did want her to attend classes with the children but she declined; preferring to do work around the home.

[6] Following this Harry Kunoth decided to leave the telegraph station and briefly worked as a mounted constable with the South Australian Police Force, with Stott.

[10][11] Despite this it is recorded that at least three of Kunoth's grandchildren, Sandra, Sam and Ngala (who would go on to be known as Rosalie Kunoth-Monks), spent time at the Stolen Generations-associated institution St. Mary's Hostel (Alice Springs).

"Her oral history, recorded when she was 97 (as noted earlier this age is not definitive and open to debate), is available through Library & Archives NT: NTRS 226 TS 257.