I am Susan Healy, nee Ahmet. I was born in Mareeba in 1951. This is the story of my grandparents and the Ahmet family.

My grandfather, Kamber Ahmet was born in Konle Dersnik, Albania in 1886. At the end of the 19th century Albania was an extremely poor country. There was little employment and the land did not provide enough for him to feed his family. Kamber and his brother decided to try for a better life in the ‘New World’. My great-uncle went to America and my grandfather travelled by ship to Australia landing in Perth in 1927. He found work as a labourer but felt that he could do better in North Queensland where rumours abounded of good wages for sugar cane workers. We do not know how he travelled as far as Brisbane, possibly by rail as the train from Perth to Melbourne opened in 1917, but somehow, he made it to Brisbane. Again, we are not sure how he got to Far North Queensland at a time when the train line did not go that far. Like others he may have bought a bicycle and cycled. He arrived in South Johnstone where he found work as a cane cutter. He lived with a Spanish family on their sugar cane farm, saving as much money as possible, sending it back to his family in Albania and saving against the day he could bring them to Australia.

In 1937 Kamber was able to fund passage for his second son Shefik (Kevin), then 16, to join him in North Queensland, leaving Faik (Peter), my father, to care for the family in Albania. Both worked hard, learning the language and understanding the land. After two years they were able to fund passage for my grandmother, Demirane, (then aged 30), my father, then 21, and the youngest child, a girl, Mamudi (11) to join them. The family settled in South Johnston with the 3 men working in the fields and the women doing what they could. In 1940 a second girl Burureje (May) was born.

In 1941 the family moved to Mareeba to work in the tobacco industry. Peter and Kevin found work as sharefarmers on a tobacco farm. Kamber, now 55, working the farm with his sons. Australia was at war in 1941, and Peter, then 22 was not naturalised and of fighting age. He was interred as an enemy alien. He was in a camp on the tablelands for a few months when the American Army, stationed on the tablelands suggested that all farmers be released to help provide for the army during the fighting. By 1942 the family had accumulated sufficient funds to buy some land between Ray Road, Chewko Road and Granite Creek. Here the third son and youngest child, Shefik (Tom) was born.

They worked tirelessly to clear the land with hand-held saws and horse drawn tree-pullers. When the land was cleared, they cultivated it with horse drawn ploughs. By 1950 the family was established on the farm. They had built a home, sheds and barns and were established tobacco farmers. Peter, now 30, wanted his own family. Many Albanian people were living in Greece so he flew there in search of a wife. Marriages were arranged in those days and such an arrangement was made for him to meet Louiza Demi, my mother. She was 15 years old. They were married in Greece and lived there for a time while my mother’s application to come to Australia was processed. Eventually they boarded a plane from Greece to Cairns via Darwin. By this time my mother was already pregnant with me. I was only 5 years old when my grandfather Kamber Ahmet died on 17 April 1956. He was 70 years old. He had gone from penury to owing his own land, with his children and his grandchildren around him, all with prospects and a future. He was a true pioneer.

In 1958 the Tinaroo Dam was completed providing tableland farms with a reliable water supply. This enabled the tobacco industry to thrive as did the township of Mareeba and the Ahmet family. By then they had an efficient farm with up to date plant and equipment.

My parents were together for almost 13 years. Unfortunately, my father’s hard life left its mark on him and he became unwell. When I was 13 years old my mother was felt she had to take her four children and leave. She was pregnant with her fifth child at the time. My mother was able to find work in Mareeba and although we lived apart I remained connected to my father and his family. My grandmother passed away in 1970. A kind and loving woman, she loved and supported her family through its hardships and successes.

Their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will be forever grateful for the courage, fortitude and determination, hard work and resilience of both Kamber and Demirane that has provided us with a life of freedom, opportunity and possibilities in a town we call home – Mareeba.