Australia family revisits ENB

National

AN Australian family that visited East New Britain recently retraced their steps to the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment Vudal campus, which was once their home more than 45 years ago.
It was a significant and exciting moment for Sid Medcalf, 81, his wife Neryl, 78, and their daughter Tracey Medcalf Stocks, 56, when their hired vehicle turned into the campus as they set foot on the place that had been home for six years.
The Medcalfs had booked a cruise from Sydney purposely to visit Vudal.
When the cruise liner docked at Rabaul last month, the trio and Tracey’s husband Greg Stocks got into the bus they hired and drove straight to Vudal where they spent almost two hours.
Speaking on behalf of her parents, Tracey said her family lived at Vudal from 1965 to 1971.
“My father was a biological science lecturer at the then Vudal Agricultural College and acting and deputy principal for five years. My mother was the librarian.”
She recalled that those days were fun and enjoyable.
“My brother and I also remember growing up here and having so much freedom. When we got home from Kerevat school we would maybe get a banana and drink then go on our bikes and ride anywhere in the college,” she said.
“We feel blessed growing up here during those years. One good memory is dad was responsible for fisheries so we would spend lot of time at Vudal beach and would often take a little boat over to a reef and swim.”