Peas, beans and riverbanks: seasonal picking and dependence in the Tuross Valley

The Tuross River Valley is one of six major estuarine systems along the South Coast region of New South Wales. Today, the valley falls within the boundaries of the Eurobodalla Shire. The Yuin people are acknowledged as the traditional owners and custodians of the region. The township of Bodalla is located on the northern elbow of the Tuross River and the major nearby towns are Moruya in the north and Narooma to the south. While Bodalla achieved renown as a major dairying centre in the late nineteenth century, the forestry and horticultural industries have also made significant contributions to its economic development. The important roles that Aboriginal people have played in the expansion of the rural economy have, however, been largely neglected in the local histories of the South Coast. This chapter is part of a broader effort aimed at correcting the lack of acknowledgment of the contribution of Aboriginal labour to the local economy and, more generally, in the wider Australian context. The Tuross River farms at the ‘back of Bodalla’ hold vivid memories for present-day Aboriginal people living in the Eurobodalla Shire, many of whom spent much of their childhood years in and around the bean and pea fields. Bean and pea production began in the valley in the 1930s and provided work for Aboriginal people through to the constriction of the industry in the 1970s. The oral history record confirms that the majority of pickers were Aboriginal people, with South Coast families being joined in the picking fields by itinerant workers at the height of the season due to the large labour force needed to ensure that crops were picked in the best condition.