Navorina was "built by the community, for the community".
Photo by
contributed
This is the 17th article in a series of columns written by Alan Henderson about Deniliquin district historical events and issues. Alan’s grandfather purchased ‘Warragoon’ on the Finley Road in 1912. Alan was born in the Deniliquin Hospital in 1944 but moved to Canberra in 1967. In retirement he has written a family history, Boots, Gold and Wool, and will share some of his research in this local history column.
I have been returning to Deniliquin at least a couple of times in most years since I moved to Canberra in 1967.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
I can confirm that the bumpiest section of the journey is between Collingullie and Lockhart, but the section is gradually being improved.
In the 1970s one of the highlights of our visits was to enable my mother to enjoy the company of our three children.
They were young, cuddly, and controllable, unlike her local grandchildren who were well into their teens, if not older by the 1970s, and beyond her control.
Sadly, some of my trips in recent years have been to attend the funerals of my siblings - Donald Henderson in 2017, Jill Tainsh in 2020 and Noelle Browne earlier this year.
Throughout this period, Deniliquin’s population has hovered in the range of 6000 to 8000.
There was a drop in population associated with the Millennium drought, and the temporary closure of the SunRice mill from 2007 to 2010.
Deniliquin’s population averaged about 7,600 in the 2001 and 2006 Census counts.
The average of the three most recent Census counts - 2011, 2016 and 2021 - is about 6570.
As noted in my column on Deniliquin’s population over the long term, published in December last year, the town also experienced a long period of static population from 1881 to 1921.
Notwithstanding this population trend, there always seems to be an abundance of familiar faces when I return to the Deniliquin district.
A more detailed examination of the 2021Census reveals the answer. The total population of Deniliquin has declined from 7,781 in 2001 to 6,431 in 2021, but over that same period the number of residents aged 65 and over has increased by 36 per cent, from 1271 to 1730. My age cohort is flourishing!
The significant increase in the proportion of Deniliquin’s population aged 65 and over, from 16.3 per cent in 2001 to 26.9 per cent in 2021, is not unusual for regional Australia.
I examined the Census results for six other inland NSW towns of similar size: Cootamundra, Glen Innes, Leeton, Moree, Narrabri and Young.
The average population of these towns in 2021 was 7,205. The proportion of the population aged 65 and older averaged 15.2 per cent in 2001, increasing to 23 per cent in 2021. Regional NSW is ageing rapidly; Deniliquin is not alone.
The recent Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety “heard evidence that residential aged care facilities in regional, rural and remote areas find it difficult to meet the needs of people living with dementia who display complex behaviour. The difficulties they face can include inadequate infrastructure and capital works, inadequate staff training, inability to carry out strategies in dementia care and management practice, and difficulties in accessing expert support”.
In contrast to the general assessment of the Royal Commissioners however, Deniliquin is blessed with excellent residential aged care facilities.
Alan Henderson's sister Noelle Brown received quality care at Orana.
Photo by
Supplied
This is based on the experience of my sister Noelle in Southern Cross Care Orana and, much earlier, my sister-in-law Jimmy Henderson in Navorina Nursing Home. Noelle and Jimmy both suffered from dementia.
The late John Leetham was a prime mover in the establishment of Orana, with the support of Mrs Douglas, the Catholic Parish and four local councils. Building commenced in 1974 and the first residents entered in March 1976.
Navorina, which opened in 1986, also “was built by the community, for the community”.
Compared with capital city facilities, one of the advantages of regional aged care facilities is that staff sometimes know residents before they enter the facility, or perhaps more likely know the children of aged care residents.
In the case of Orana, some of the staff had met my sister Noelle through her involvement with pony club events.
All this is a far cry from the most confronting discovery I made in researching my family history.
My great-grandfather John Henderson arrived in Melbourne from Scotland in 1853 with his parents, eight siblings, including two married sisters, their husbands, and four nieces.
John’s unmarried sister, Ann Henderson, was initially engaged for a month as a domestic servant in St Kilda.
Beyond that, I had to rely on a Coroner’s Report which indicated that in March 1857 Ann was admitted to Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum in Melbourne, “suffering from dementia” but “in fair bodily health”.
Ann remained in the asylum system until her death in 1899. It was depressing reading evidence submitted to the coroner by a nurse that cared for Ann from 1895, stating that “she had no friends or relatives”.
At the time of her death Ann actually had three brothers living in Victoria.
