About Echoes on the Mountain by Marilyn Quirk

ABOUT ‘ECHOES ON THE MOUNTAIN’

Between the covers are ten gripping tales of migrant workers who brought the Tasmanian highlands to life in all its post-war uniqueness. With hope in their hearts they set out for a land half a world away. They came from Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Germany and England. They came often with nothing more than an old uniform and a blanket. They lived in tiny huts during their two-year contracts in villages called Butlers Gorge, Bronte Park, Tarraleah, Wayatinah and Waddamana.

The Hydro needed workers, particularly pick and shovel men, to transform an inhospitable landscape and build the dams and pipelines that would industrialise the state.

‘It was a mini-United Nations where the villages reverberated to the tunes of many languages. We wanted to prove we could be good citizens and good Australians.’ (Milan)

‘They came to build a hydro electric scheme and they stayed to build a community.’ (Frank Madill)

‘They constructed one of the largest projects ever undertaken in Australia. It produces twice as much electricity as does the Snowy Mountain scheme.’ Peter Rae AO, Chairman Hydro Tasmania 1993-2004.

They came from the ashes of Europe, some had fought side by side with the Australians at Tobruk, others had endured forced labour camps under the Germans and then the Soviets; all had suffered the horrors of war.

On the dark side there were suicides and depression but most of the men worked and lived hard, survived to move to other Tasmanian towns. They settled down and married. These people from the highland villages have remained lifetime friends. Many are among the best-known of Tasmanians with numerous awards and achievements. They are proof that humans can endure atrocity, build a new life, and keep giving to their communities.

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About Marilyn's Forthcoming Book

A BRIEF HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA AND MIGRATION

Click map to view enlarged map of power stations in Tasmania

Map reproduced with permission of Hydro Tasmania

The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Arts Tasmania and Hydro Tasmania in bringing this book to publication.