Henry Bloomfield, a 67-year-old Elder, shares the multi-generational story of the Bloomfield family's deep connection to Love's Creek station in Central Australia.
We're about 140 kilometres out of Alice, and this place is called Atnapa Homestead. It's part of Love's Creek. The original Love's Creek Homestead was Ross River, and the Bloomfield family back in the day shifted from there to here.
The Bloomfields. That was my old man's family. He grew up here, worked for them, and my uncles too. Later on we shifted to Ross River, and the old man worked as a tourist guide for the Green Brothers after the Bloomfield family left and they bought the place. Turned it into a tourist resort.
Old Pete, he was part of it all. His father was old Harry Bloomfield. Pete and my two uncles used to work together. Cattle, mustering, all that sort of stuff. But not like today. Back then it was all on horseback, you know.
It's been a long process, thinking about the ownership of this land, but it's just good to be coming home, sort of thing. I grew up between here and Ross River as a kid, and it's good to be back home. To grow my kids up here. All the grandkids, as you can see, they're running amuck and they love it. Seventeen grandkids and six kids.
Looking at what we've done this week, it's just unbelievable. I can't wait to get back into the old homestead again. It's looking really good. Even the old sheds, how they've done them up.
The girls have the say on what happens with the homestead. They're talking about having a tourist thing there, putting up old photos and stuff. We've got a lot of people who used to work here before. The Greens and others living in Queensland now. They've got photos and they said they'll give us some. The idea is to put them in there and show them to tourists.
Where does culture fit into all this? It's just natural, you know. The kids all know about bush tucker and that sort of stuff, but it comes in seasons.
The whole family working together. It is something, because a lot of families don't get on to work together. So far we've all stuck together, and it's good.
I'm 67 in October, trying to retire, but the girls won't let me. I've been through the wars a bit. Got new knees and a shoulder about to happen. Back in the day there was no forklift. Everything you had to lift by hand. It just took a toll over the years. But that's how it was for everybody, not only me.
The party this weekend. I'm really glad it's gonna be all over for my kids. You're all more than welcome here. Like I told all these fellas. It'll be good. They can't wait to get back. Not to work, but still.
Henry Bloomfield
Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
Henry Bloomfield is a Bloomfield family member with deep roots in The Homestead and Ross River country. His stories capture the experience of coming home, the strength of traditional labour and knowledge, and the vision for economic independence through social enterprise.
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