LOCAL HISTORY WITH BETTY LAVER – Teaching English in China – Bill Jobling’s Story

One could say that Englishman Bill Jobling’s life was full of adventure. He came to Australia with his new bride Jean, in 1964 as £10 Poms. After arriving in Sydney, Bill found work in a firm that made building products. Next, they went to Brisbane for a few years and then after their three children were born, they took on the adventure of moving to Papua New Guinea.

Bill worked in a timber mill at Bulolo in the highlands of Moresby Province and they stayed for two years. Bill loved PNG, finding the people and the country very interesting. Their next move was back to Brisbane where Bill stayed for seven years. Bill applied for work at the Boyne Island Smelter and the family came to Gladstone to live. Where he worked until he took semi-retirement.