Belinda Murrell: Bringing Australian History To Life | Page 60
INSPIRATION
A
TALE
THE LOCKET OF DREAMS TAKES READERS FROM SCOTLAND TO RURAL AUSTRALIA. IT TOO IS INSPIRED
BY ONE OF BELINDA’S ANCESTORS . . .
Belinda’s husband Rob, shown here in Scotland, is always one
of the first readers of her books, along with her daughter Emily.
to daughter, mother to daughter for
a hundred and fifty years until it was
inherited by my mother. I remember
holding the locket in my hand and wishing
I could see what Ellen Mackenzie must
have experienced while she wore the
delicate engraved locket.
Family travels
W
hen I was a little girl, my grandmother, Nonnie,
used to tell my sister and me stories – many of
them Scottish tales. My favourite was how her own
grandmother had come to Australia in 1858 from
Scotland with her sister. The two Mackenzie girls, Ellen and
Jane, were orphans, sent away from their home on the west
coast of Scotland by their uncle. Nonnie used to tell us that
their father had been a rich Scottish laird with a castle, but that
the girls had lost everything when their father had drowned at
sea, closely followed by the death of their mother. According
to Nonnie, the girls’ mother died of a broken heart after her
husband’s death.
Over two years, my family and I travelled
around Australia and overseas – including
visiting the Mackenzie clan country on the
west coast of Scotland, searching for our
castle.
During our around-Australia trip
we were fortunate enough to live for
three amazing weeks with a wonderful
Aboriginal family in the Kimberley. The
Davey family told us lots of Aboriginal
stories and shared much traditional
knowledge with us, including hunting, making spears, herblore
and family history.
We felt very privileged and honoured to share this time with
them. My character Pot is named after one of their children,
and some of the scenes were inspired by stories they told us,
such as Pot being guided home by the spirits.
The family castle
Nonnie’s mother had told her that the Mackenzie castle shoul