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ReConnect Bathurst:
Eddy Suttor
The Suttors are one of the most enduring pioneering farming families in and around Bathurst. Our family has been farming in the Central West for more than 188 years.
My family have been on The Rocks property, Dunkeld since 1904. Together with my sister, Lesley and brother-in-law John Press, we continued to farm here for many years.
I’ve now retired and my nephew Matt runs the property. I still help out, but I’m most interested in looking after my growing historical collection.
Here, people can pick things up. I’m not, you know, like “you can’t touch this.” It’s here for people to pick up and feel.
You’ve got to be able to touch and feel all of this stuff.
I tend to get a lot of old people visiting. More or less they’ve built these types of things in their lifetime.
It’s wonderful.
My collections did start in the smaller shed.
And as I got more stuff, I ended up started putting it into those big shipping containers
And then I said, “well nobody can see it.”
So I built this outrageous shed.
So what happened was that the place closed down in Bathurst — Camera House. He didn’t want anything. So I said “I’ll take it all.” My dad had a lot of cameras too.
So bugger it, I got a pretty big collection now.
My neighbour next door used to go to all of the garage sales. I said, “ if you find me a money box, get it for me.” “I don’t care if it’s plastic or whatever.”
Now I’ve got about 400 money boxes.
A lot of the time you couldn’t get the poison cart in Bathurst. So my young brother made our own and it worked pretty much the same.
First you go into a paddock and have a look at the dung hills and all that type of stuff. Then you go around and drop the disk in to turn over the soil. See, rabbits come to fresh dirt.
So you make your trail wherever and you put a little dob of carrots dob every so often. You feed them Monday, Wednesday and Friday and usually by Sunday or Monday, they’re all there waiting for bait.
That’s when you put out the 1080 and they’d be dead everywhere. Then we’d skin them and dry the skins. Did you know that they used to use rabbit skin to make Akubra hats?
They didn’t want it!
See that’s why a fella puts his hand up to grab all these things
It’s history, it’s Bathurst history.
MATT, ED’S NEPHEW
Ed’s well known in the Bathurst historical community. If people are throwing stuff out they usually give Ed a ring.
Every time I’m in with his collection — the longer you’re in here the more you start to notice. It’s just sort of like opening Pandora’s box.
Do you think that the generation of today values items like these?
Ed “No. Ask Matthew, he’s a different generation go and ask him…”
Matt “I didn’t see much value in this years ago when I was younger but as I’m getting older I see the value — it’s preserving history.”
They didn’t want it. See, that’s why a fella puts his hand up to grab all these things.
It’s history. It’s Bathusrt history.
This project is proudly funded through the State Government’s Local Government Social Cohesion Grant Program. ReConnect Bathurst is an And Then project delivered in partnership with Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.
Current: Eddy Suttor
Next: Uncle Bill Allen
Uncle Bill Allen
Bev Cooney
Cheryl O’Brien
June Paton
Gus Gorton
Lonnie Edwards
Yvonne Morgan
Enn Muller
Jan Sheppard
Edgar Coello
Aunty Shirley Scott and Aunty Sandra Peckham
Mike Hardie
Frank Smith
Clive Brabham
Eddy Suttor
RECONNECT BATHURST PARTICIPANTS’ INDIVIDUAL STORYBANKS
PROJECT INFORMATION
WHEN
April – November 2022
WHERE
Bathurst, NSW
WHY
We believe that stories matter and that stories like those shared here hold power and significance.
The vision of the project is to use photo-storytelling and cultural preservation practices to develop social and creative connections and experiences with older people from the Bathurst area. This project celebrates the participants' lived experiences while encouraging dialogue around ageing, isolation and ageism.
Social-arts projects like this are important as they transform public spaces and help to build a sense of community. It’s been wonderful to reimagine Pedrottas Lane in Bathurst and to create an online representation of the physical exhibition with a project made with the community, for the community.
WHO
We were honoured to be invited by Bathurst Regional Art Gallery to create and facilitate ReConnect Bathurst.
16 older people from the Bathurst area. Many of the participants were nominated by local community organisations while others serendipitously came to be a part of the project. We’d like to thank The Bathurst Aboriginal Land Council, The Wiradjuri and Community Aboriginal Elders, The Neighbourhood Center, Bathurst Business Chamber, The Woodies, Bathurst RSL Sub Branch and the Country Women’s Association.
With special thanks to Dinawan Dyirribang (Uncle Bill Allen), Bev Cooney, Cheryl O’Brien, June Paton, Gus Gorton, Lonnie Edwards, Yvonne Morgan, Enn Muller, Frank Smith, Jan Shepard, Edgar Coello, Aunty Shirley Scott, Aunty Sandra Peckham, Mike Hardie, Clive Brabham and Eddy Suttor.
HOW
Our stories are a wonderful connection point. It’s through sharing them with each other that we make space for conversations that can inspire, that can expand our understanding and in some cases, leave us changed.
During this project, we spent time with each person, we talked, reflected on old photographs, made images together and worked through various ways of co-authoring. Socially-engaged practice empowers participants to participate in the creation of their stories, allowing them to represent themselves in the way that they choose.
We often leave a camera with participants and invite them to engage in their own image-making. There’s something raw and revealing about the images made this way, about seeing the world through the participants' eyes.
AND THEN
Through their stories, we see facets of vast lives lived. We witness the snapshots and threads that when woven together create a rich tapestry. Our hope is that as stories wash over us we’re able to make space to contemplate connection and the beauty of community.
This project is proudly funded through the State Government’s Local Government Social Cohesion Grant Program. ReConnect Bathurst is an And Then project delivered in partnership with Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.