My great grandmother Daisy Dean was born in Peak Hill Western Australia in 1907, Yamitji Country. Daisy was taken to the Moore River native settlement in 1922 and gave birth to my grandmother Fay Nannette Dean in 1930. Fay was taken to the Parkerville children’s home in August 1932 and then settled in Yokine in her adult years where she married and gave birth to 6 children. Fay separated from her abusive partner and moved to Warnbro with her 6 children, plus a street kid she took in and raised as her own.

Fay worked multiple jobs to put food on the table and clothe the kids. Hard work would be one of the many traits she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Fay took in multiple kids throughout her life as she believed that no child should go through what she had been through after being stolen from her mother. Fay was told her mother Daisy passed away when she was young and that she didn’t have any siblings. Unfortunately, later in life we learnt this was untrue and Daisy passed before Fay could be reunited. 

However, Fay was able to reunite with her sister Joan but not her brother Ronald. When I was a young boy, my mother worked for a man at a local foam supply store. This was a small family business and I assumed he was just my mum’s boss. Later in life my family explained the history and my mum’s boss, he was in fact the street kid my nan took in all those years ago in Yokine.

I have worked in the FIFO industry for the better part of 12 years and that’s where I met Moggy (Ben). We both noticed gaps in the industry and thought of how we could offer a new solution to businesses in the area. It’s very difficult for many Australians to make the decision to leave their families and work remotely, so we have chosen to set up shop in Karratha and create a unique enterprise that not only thrives, but also fosters a deep connection with its customers, while providing a safe & supportive workplace where employees can grow their skills and forge a sustainable and prosperous future.

Reece Hills, Managing Director  

My great-grandmother, Sarah, was born in Coatbridge, Scotland in 1894. She grew up surrounded by love and stability, but her life changed course when she married a charismatic man who was not who he appeared to be. With immense courage, Sarah made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Scotland behind. She travelled alone to Australia aboard the SS Euripides, arriving in Albany in March 1923.

Seeking a new beginning, Sarah found work in the region of the Noongar people and soon settled into a happy life as a housemaid. It was there she met Victor (Vic), a Noongar man with whom she fell deeply in love. Knowing both the white and Aboriginal communities would object to their relationship, they kept their love hidden and eventually travelled north, hoping to find a place to build a life together in the Pilbara.

During her pregnancy, Sarah became unwell and was forced to return to Perth, where she gave birth to their daughter, Anna Ruby Carlin (Ruby), at King Edward Hospital. In Sarah’s words, “this is when the trouble started”. Ruby was taken from her shortly after birth and spent time in a Receiving Home before being boarded out. Sarah eventually reclaimed her daughter and the two moved into a small home on Hay Street in Perth.

 As I grew up, Ruby lived in the family home but rarely spoke about her early years or the hardships she and Sarah endured. It was understood within the family that these were painful memories, and out of respect, it was known not to ask and to simply leave it be.

Much of the documentation that could have helped us understand their lives has since been destroyed in the 1950’s. With both Sarah and Ruby no longer with us, parts of our family story remain missing, but we continue working to piece together the history that was lost.

I spent around 18 years working in the FIFO industry before relocating to Karratha in 2022. Meeting Reece onsite and discovering the similarities in our family histories, this sparked conversations that quickly grew into something bigger. 

Before long, Thorny Devil Access + Industries was born. Like Reece, I’m committed to giving back to the community and creating meaningful employment opportunities. 

 Ben Rees-Mogg, Managing Director