Autobiography
Eunice Hilda Oakley
Maiden name ‘Eunice Hilda Brown’
Born at Tauranga in New Zealand, the youngest child of a family of eight.
At twenty three years of age I travelled to Australia, where I met and married a lovely Australian man and have chosen to call Australia, home. I am a mother of two children.
I have made my home in Taree, New South Wales, Australia.
In 2001, I became a Naturalised Australian Citizen.
I entered my nursing career at Wellington Public Hospital in New Zealand and later enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps, stationed at Waiouru Army Base in New Zealand.
In 1976, I sat for my Enrolled Nurse’s Aide Certificate which I passed with a ‘Distinction’.
I nursed for thirteen years and really loved my nursing.
Arriving in Australia I continued my nursing career at Prince Henry Hospital in Sydney and then later on at Petersham Private Hospital in Sydney, before moving to Taree where I nursed at the Manning Base Hospital.
At school, English was always my favourite subject. I must admit that my vivid imagination helped me with this topic, as it still does today.
The ultimate highlight and turning point in my life was about twenty years ago, when I attended an Adult Education course in writing. This class transformed my life, opening a door into an exciting world of creative writing, poetry and short stories.
A fire burns deep within my soul to learn, absorb and create my own destiny in this area of the creative arts.
I have had some of my poems launched on the CD of ‘Words to Music’ on the Pan Art label. This CD was compiled by a combination of local poets and writers in the Taree, Great Lakes districts.
I have written poems for the local Taree RSL Sub Branch and have read them on Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Vietnam Vets Day Ceremonies.
Many of my poems have been published in various poetry books with other authors, but my main aim in life is to have a poetry book and short story book of my own published. My passion is Bush Poetry and people on the land.
I had a poem “Drover’s Delight” published by The Lawsonian Newsletter. Also, a poem “After The Rains” was published by the Country Web Magazine (for women on the land).
A poem of mine was published in the Taree City Library for Mental Health Week in 2012. I read my own poem at a Scottish Breakfast at a Scottish Fete, two years running. Another poem was read out at an ANZAC service in New Zealand. All of the audience was amazed.
My philosophy is that I take up a task and carry it through and take time to smell the roses.
Hilda Oakley © 01.01.2011
(Update October 2018)
I entered a short story in the Wingham RSL Sub Branch Writing competition “What ANZAC means to me”. I received a certificate for my entry “Healing the wounds of war”.
I enjoy listening to music on my iPods. I enjoy reading books on my Kindle Paperwhite. I have my own poems and short stories on my Kindle. They are called “Golden Stories”.
Hilda Oakley
