Interview Transcript from Illawarra Stories Wollongong City Libraries Oral History Project – Liz Corfield
Interviewer: Edie Swift
Interview Date: 13 April 2022
Edie Swift: It is April 13, 2022, and I am Eddie Swift interviewing Liz Corfield for the Illawarra stories oral history project coordinated by the Wollongong City Library. We will talk about Liz’s involvement in the CWA, the Country Women’s Association. And I’ve been so pleased to hear about that organisation. I think it’s wonderful what you do.
Liz Corfield: Thank you. Would you like to tell, me to tell you what we do?
Edie Swift: Yes. I’d love to hear about your activities and …
Liz Corfield: Our, well our CWA branch meets once a month at Balgownie community centre in Balgownie and on the, the first, the fourth Tuesday of each month. We have, we start off with morning tea and we do that on a rota system and then we get straight into our meeting. A very active membership is now approaching forty. Our age group is between forty-nine and ninety and our range of activities includes fundraising for local and state charities such as flood relief, disaster relief, Keiraville women’s refuge, Wollongong hospital neonatal ward, Port Kembla Koala hospital – we sponsor two koalas there. The Seaman’s Mission at Port Kembla, the EVE project at Bulli, the Wollongong Eisteddfod, the Wesley community fund and many more.
Edie Swift: So for all of those are you funding mostly for that, or do you do other things?
Liz Corfield: We do anything that needs our money basically, yes. So a couple of years ago we were raising lots of money towards drought relief then bush fire relief. And now, of course, it’s the floods in Lismore as well.
Edie Swift: So, ah, how do you do that, how do you raise the money? Well, we do it through Bunnings barbecues, we have stalls at the local shopping centres. We had a stall last weekend at Bulli Woolworths outside there and we raised $1,700 just from selling our handcrafted goods, um, our jams and pickles and a little raffle that we held as well.
Edie Swift: So these other, or things that you do, the other projects, is there any hands-on that you do for the other ones, all the ones you listed, or do you just send the money to them?
Liz Corfield: Well sometimes it’s money, ah, sometimes it’s goods, like, um, blankets. Um, we’re looking now, also, ah, in the wings we’re thinking of sending swags for the Homeless Hub. for people in there, but we’re just having to decide whether what type to get. We work with them so that they tell us what they need. Sometimes it’s no good just throwing money at them. If they can specify what they need, we will work towards that.
Edie Swift: And what do you do for the Koala hospital?
Liz Corfield: Oh, we sponsored two koalas, so I think it’s something like $70.00 a year and we just sponsor the two and that look, that helps look after them for the year until they’re released into the wild or whatever. And then we’ll just do a couple more.
Edie Swift: Oh, so there, ah, there is a hospital in Port Kembla?
Liz Corfield: No, Port Macquarie up the coast
Edie Swift: Port Macquarie?
Liz Corfield: Yeah, yeah.
Edie Swift: I see. Oh, I see.
Liz Corfield: The big, the big, ah, Koala sanctuary up there.
Edie Swift: Yes, yeah, I’ve been there.
Liz Corfield: Mm.
Edie Swift: So you send them money and sponsor too?
Liz Corfield: Yes.
Edie Swift: Oh.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: Have, have you been up there to look at it?
Liz Corfield: I have, I have. I haven’t seen those particular koalas because we’ve only just started sponsoring them. But I was up there with my husband a couple of years ago and I was very impressed with the work that they do. But any of our members can suggest things that are close to their heart.
Edie Swift: Hm-mm.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm. So we’re just looking…
Edie Swift: Now the, ah, for the people on the ships, do you do things for them?
Liz Corfield: Ah, no, we just supply beanies and rugs and whatever they need at the Seaman’s Mission at Port Kembla.
Edie Swift: Oh. Oh.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: And what is the Seaman’s Mission?
Liz Corfield: Well I think it’s just; it was originally set up many years ago to look after. mainly men who came off the boats, um, whether they were working or whether they were visiting or whatever, they had nowhere to stay, and it was like a hostel. And I think now it more looks after, um, people in need basically.
Edie Swift: People in need who have been seafarers?
Liz Corfield: Um, I think that was the original idea. I’m not quite sure whether that extends now, the rules extend, mm.
Edie Swift: And you the things that you give to that organisation, does it go on board the ships or what?
Liz Corfield: I doubt it. I’m not sure, no. But they do request rugs, beanies, scarves, things like that.
Edie Swift: Hm. Now the other projects you had, ah, you have to go over them again – there were so many.
Liz Corfield: Um, well, one of the things that’s, that’s close to my heart is Wollongong Hospital and the children’s ward there. They have some long-term kids in there. Now one of my grandchildren was, he wasn’t in that hospital, but he did spend six months in hospital when he was 13. So I saw a need for a point of difference. When you walk into the kids hospital, the kids ward, it’s wonderful and the nurses are fantastic, but the beds all look the same. So I had a brilliant idea – I thought it was brilliant – that we make quilts for the beds. So when you walk into the, the ward, every child has their own quilt, and they get to take it home when they leave. Because of COVID, of course, I haven’t taken any up for quite a while. But I’ve got a stack at home, so when, when it’s safe to do so, I’ll be taking them up.
Edie Swift: Gee, that’s wonderful. How about these other projects now?
Liz Corfield: The EVE project at Bulli, that is a project which helps women get back into the workforce if they’ve had to leave home for some reason or they find themselves in financial difficulty, they’ve lost the job and they would like to get back into the workforce but they’re not quite sure how to do it. It, um, it helps them there. So the way we help them is to provide vouchers, um, to be used, you know, in, in shops or whatever to help them get themselves back on their feet. And that’s the same as we do for the Keiraville women’s refuge. That provides short term accommodation for women who for some reason have to leave suddenly, leave home suddenly. [Pardon me.] Another thing that’s, that I really like doing too is, um, providing three prizes for, at the Wollongong Eisteddfod in various sections. Ah, one of my grandchildren, um, plays in the Wollongong brass band and they always have a little bunch of people in there competing. And that’s wonderful thing for, for kids to do, to learn music, so.
Edie Swift: Yes.
Liz Corfield: Mm.
Edie Swift: So what are the some of the other projects have we touched on them all?
Liz Corfield: Well, just about. There’s so many I can, I can hardly remember them all.
Edie Swift: Yeah, yeah.
Liz Corfield: But, um, each month when we, when we meet the members come up with something that they’ve come across in their local community that needs help or just something that, that they’ve seen in the paper, the newspaper or something like that, so we investigate. And the rule is, in the club, if you are the one to suggest the project, you’re the one that has to run it, right, with the approval of the others, of course. So it’s their baby [laughs].
Edie Swift: Oh.
Liz Corfield: Which is good, yeah.
Edie Swift: Is there anything else we haven’t discussed? Any other project?
Liz Corfield: Um, let me have a look.
Edie Swift: It’s, ah, it’s so interesting.
Liz Corfield: Oh yeah, the boomerang bags.
Edie Swift: Yeah.
Liz Corfield: Yes. That’s, that’s really interesting. This was formed a few years ago by a young couple of people up in Queensland and this was just at the beginning when people were realising that plastic bags weren’t terrific to use because most people just throw them away, they end up in landfill down on the beach whatever. So this young couple decided to make fabric bags out of recycled material such as sheets, curtains, factory offcuts, anything that you can make into a bag they, they sourced. And it’s now spread worldwide this boomerang bags, um, project. And so Keiraville CWA makes those as well, and we distribute them to, ah, local shops, libraries to use as, um, library bags. My, one of my other grandchildren – I have lots – um, grandchildren goes to Mount Brown and I provide library bags for them. Where else do we send those? Oh, we hand them out on our stalls of course, yes, with a little message saying, ‘Use it for your groceries, don’t just leave it in the cupboard.’ But I’ve seen some around on people’s shoulders and that’s good to know.
Edie Swift: Mm.
Liz Corfield: Yes.
Edie Swift: So they, you, when you meet then you have these ideas come up.
Liz Corfield: Yes.
Edie Swift: And you vote on them.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm. We do.
Edie Swift: Mm.
Liz Corfield: Yes, yeah.
Edie Swift: And there are some ideas that don’t go over.
Liz Corfield: Um, not many.
Edie Swift: Oh.
Liz Corfield: Not many because they come up with really good ones. Couple of the other ones I just thought of are Miracle babies’ beanies. They go to an address in Moorebank in Sydney, and they are distributed to all hospitals all over NSW for premmie babies. These babies are so tiny that normal clothes don’t fit them. So in the hospital they, we make these tiny little beanies knitted or crocheted and we send them up to them. And the ladies, all through COVID, they just produced thousands of them [laughs]. So there were lots and lots of masks of, um, bags for going up to the hospital. There’s another one that I just thought of too. Ah, that is traffic light beanies. Now these all are also for not necessarily premmie babies but babies in hospital who need extra attention. So if they have a red beanie they need constant monitoring. If they have an orange beanie it’s not so much and then a green beanie means they’re pretty okay. So if you look in the ward you can see immediately which babies need attention quickly.
Edie Swift: So, ah, COVID must have made it so that you couldn’t meet.
Liz Corfield: That is true. Yes, yes. We didn’t meet for many months and then when the restrictions relaxed a little, we were fortunate enough to be offered a free function room at the Fraternity club, spaced out with masks, all of that stuff. So we did get to meet sometimes during COVID. And now we’re back to our, our hall, which is lovely.
Edie Swift: And then you have all these different days, don’t you? Well, one chapter had that, I don’t know if you have it. They study an animal. Do you do that?
Liz Corfield: Oh yes, yeah, yeah, hm-mm, yes. Oh, now you’ve got me there because I can’t remember which one it is for this year. [Laughs] It’s just been announced. We have a, we have a country that we study, this year is Malaysia. We have one Australian fauna, one Australian flora and a foe. What we call a foe. So that could be an animal foe, like a fox, or it could be a weed, like I think the, the one this year is called the Black Willow. And so we investigate all of those as well.
Edie Swift: And you have a cultural thing where, with painting and poetry and…
Liz Corfield: Yes, we have competitions for all of those – photography – yes.
Edie Swift: And the competition is in the branch?
Liz Corfield: Yes. So it goes branch first. When then that’s judged, then it goes to what we call group, which is, ah, branches in our local area up to Picton and down to Wollondilly. And then the best of those goes to State. Now State is held in a different town or city in New South Wales every year. Last year it was at Bega, this year it’s in the beginning of May, it’s at Randwick racecourse.
Edie Swift: At the racecourse?
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: Oh, isn’t that exciting?
Liz Corfield: That’ll be flash [laughs].
Edie Swift: So, um, at that meeting it’s a whole week isn’t it?
Liz Corfield: It’s a whole week and ladies come from Broken Hill right up on the, the border and right down on the southern border, so it’s a big big week.
Edie Swift: But one member told me it’s from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon.
Liz Corfield: It is.
Edie Swift: How do you stay awake?
Liz Corfield: [Laughs]. Oh, it’s very very interesting because the bulk of the conference is taken up with motions that have been suggested by various branches then it has to be approved by group and then finally it gets accepted as a motion. We had one last year about the Uluru statement of the heart to do with the Aboriginals and that took us two days to get that motion through. We had to amend it a little bit. There were tears of joy when it finally went through. And then those motions are then presented to the Government for consideration.
Edie Swift: And who presents them to the Government?
Liz Corfield: Probably the State, the State, um, President, Stephanie Stanhope.
Edie Swift: Oh.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: So what she goes in front of Parliament?
Liz Corfield: Um, I’m not sure how that system goes because I’ve only been in the CWA about four or five years, so I’m not sure. And Bega, last year was my first conference. Ah, I went as a delegate, and I was completely amazed by the way the whole thing was run. It was so impressive.
Edie Swift: That is impressive.
Liz Corfield: Really, really good. Mm, mm.
Edie Swift: So what was this ‘heart’?
Liz Corfield: The Uluru statement of the heart?
Edie Swift: Yeah.
Liz Corfield: It’s a one-page statement which was presented to Parliament in 2000 and I think 2016. Could be wrong there – year or two either side of that. Ah, and it was tabled and accepted as a terrific thing to do, and then it went nowhere. So we wanted to get it up and running again. It’s just a statement about how we could work with the indigenous people to move forward on making their conditions better.
Edie Swift: And so that went, ah, with Stephanie.
Liz Corfield: Well.
Edie Swift: And she went to someone to discuss that.
Liz Corfield: I presume so yes. We will find out more about that in, ah, the beginning of May. Yeah.
Edie Swift: And, ah, what conditions would you like to make better?
Liz Corfield: Just the fact that they, we really need to work all together. There’s no use Government just saying this is what we should do if it’s not, if we haven’t all worked together to decide how to, how to solve the problem. And the problem is that it seems that the, ah, indigenous people don’t have the same opportunities. They don’t have the same health care; they don’t have the same education. It’s just a real problem. So until everybody sits down and sorts it out, it’s not going to go anywhere.
Edie Swift: Now, do you also do handicrafts?
Liz Corfield: We do.
Edie Swift: Yeah.
Liz Corfield: Yes we do. So we have an officer in each branch for each of these. We have international officer, cultural officer, cookery, handicraft and ag and environment, agricultural and environment, which is always very interesting as well.
Edie Swift: Mm. What do you do with the agricultural part?
Liz Corfield: Well, um, our agricultural officer, Bea, is, um, responsible for letting us know what is happening in the world of, you know, ag and environment. We, we look at the foe and the fauna and the flora for each, the, the topics for each year and she tells us all about all of those things, so that’s really her job. She’s also working on a project, um, to get 100 tee-, trees planted in 10 different local primary schools. And the reason for the 100 is because it’s CWA’s 100th year this year.
Edie Swift: Right, right.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: And you have a cooking section?
Liz Corfield: We do. We have a wonderful cooking section, yes.
Edie Swift: And you exchange recipes?
Liz Corfield: Oh, yes, and we…
Edie Swift: And have competitions?
Liz Corfield: Yes, yes we do. We also have days, cookery days, when one of us will show the others how to make a particular thing that they, they, they’re keen on. We do a lot of cooking for our stalls. We sell slices and cakes and jams and pickles and all that kind of stuff. And people buy half a dozen at a time [laughs].
Edie Swift: Of course.
Liz Corfield: Mm.
Edie Swift: So is there any other activities we haven’t discussed that the branch does?
Liz Corfield: I think that’s about it actually. Um, there are things that I’ve probably forgotten.
Edie Swift: Mm.
Liz Corfield: Oh, there’s oh, there’s a couple of other things. We knit, ah, trauma teddies for the ambulance service. And funny story, I had to call the ambulance one night for my husband and when they came out. they had inside the ambulance, they had a row of trauma teddies.
Edie Swift: [laughs].
Liz Corfield: But he didn’t get one – he’s too old [laughs].
Edie Swift: He’s too old?
Liz Corfield: They’re for the, yeah, they’re for the kids. If they have to pick up children they, they give them a teddy. They like, they, um, they like to let them just choose one because then they carry it with them all through whatever’s going to happen in the hospital to them. So, yeah, then they get to take it home.
Edie Swift: That’s a wonderful project. So when, the children are involved too, that’s what this other member said.
Liz Corfield: Oh, yes, yes.
Edie Swift: She’s the one that I was talking to was, ah, Patricia Armstrong. So
Liz Corfield: Oh yes.
Edie Swift: Yeah.
Liz Corfield: Yes I see. Yes. Well, quite a few of the cookery competitions and the handicraft have competitions have a junior section. So one funny thing we did when during COVID our cookery officer organised a virtual cooking competition. And of course the young kids really liked to do that because they know all about technology. So they were putting up pictures of themselves baking things, taking out of the oven, and all of that kind of thing. So that was really interesting.
Edie Swift: They were doing it themselves?
Liz Corfield: Yeah. Sure.
Edie Swift: On their smartphone?
Liz Corfield: Yeah.
Edie Swift: Is there anything else they used?
Liz Corfield: Oh well, I mean mostly it was the grandmothers that were helping them cook at the time. So, you know they would work, work together and then they were very proudly taking photos of their, their handiwork.
Edie Swift: Well that must be wonderful. That would be the best part of it. So you can just see a casserole made and you can put that on that night.
Liz Corfield: Yes, that’s right.
Edie Swift: And you can have a variety of food.
Liz Corfield: Yes yes.
Edie Swift: [laughs] And do it…
Liz Corfield: Oh, it ran the gamut from gingerbread men up to three course meals [laughs]
Edie Swift: Yeah, how wonderful. Well, I just wonder what else you’d like to say. It’s just been so interesting to hear about all those projects.
Liz Corfield: Um, well, the, ah, as I said, I only came into it rather obliquely a few years ago, ah, through one of our members, Lynn Haynes. And I was down at Kiama markets, and they were giving away free boomerang bags, and I’d never heard of them before. And the girl who I was talking to down there said, ‘Oh, there’s a branch of boomerang bags up in Wollongong. Here’s the name of the lady who runs it.’ And it was Lynn Haynes. And when I rang her, she convinced me to come along to my first CWA meeting because she was a member of them. So that was a few, just maybe five years ago. And, um, and I haven’t missed a meeting since then. It’s just a fascinating group of ladies full of ideas and enthusiasm and you know, as I said, they range from – the, our youngest one is my daughter’s aged forty-nine – and the eldest one has just turned ninety.
Edie Swift: Wow.
Liz Corfield: We had a big party for that one [laughs].
Edie Swift: What do you do, ah, as the President?
Liz Corfield: I coordinate everybody else. I’m very good at delegating I must say that. So if you have a good idea you have to run with it, you know. But basically it’s just a matter of keeping in touch with people, especially during COVID. So I used to send out an, um, a newsletter online every couple of weeks just to. just to keep people spirits up really, ah, with a few recipes in or things we’ve been doing or not doing probably because of COVID. And just keeping in touch with people because a lot of people were very isolated.
Edie Swift: Oh, yes.
Liz Corfield: Some of the older ones were living by themselves and, um, so this just kind of kept them and in, in touch. And if they don’t have a computer I send it out, um, in the post.
Edie Swift: Oh. And that’s a lot. And then you have other officers in your branch too?
Liz Corfield: Oh, yeah, we have.
Edie Swift: Yeah.
Liz Corfield: Yes, yes.
Edie Swift: What do they do?
Liz Corfield: Ah, well, we have two vice presidents as well. And then of course, there’s the president, secretary, ah, treasurer – that’s a big job. Um, ah, and I think I’ve mentioned the other ones, the handicraft, cookery, ag and environment and cultural, mm. And they’re all re-, responsible for reporting to group with their activities as well. They all do a report every month.
Edie Swift: Oh, gee.
Liz Corfield: Hm-mm.
Edie Swift: Would you like to add anything else. before we conclude?
Liz Corfield: Um, no, I think that’s about it. But you, they’re very, if anybody is listening or is interested in, in joining, we meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at Balgownie Hall starting at ten and you’d be very very welcome. Anybody would be very welcome if they just turned up.
Edie Swift: Oh, wonderful.
Liz Corfield: And we do good cakes.
Edie Swift: Would you, ah, donate this to the Illawarra Stories?
Liz Corfield: Of course I will.
Edie Swift: Okay. Oral history project. Thank you.