Sue's Story

“I am part of furniture up here. I have been living in boarding houses in the Cross for over thirty years…I’ve seen so many changes, there’s much more development and many more drug addicts. I like living in this particular boarding house because it’s quiet and I can sleep at night and it’s got good security. I feel more secure in this boarding house than if I was in a flat because here the front door locked all the time. The rent is good too…there’s nowhere else to go anyway, everything’s too expensive, Sydney is so expensive, I like the new manageress too, she is really good, but some of the others have been awful…so I am happy”.

The unlicensed boarding house where Sue has lived for the past eleven years is a large house in Potts Point. She pays $130 per week her small room that is packed with memorabilia from her forty odd years of life.

Sue was born at Manly Hospital in 1954 and lived in Brookvale until she was nine years old. She and her family then moved to Liverpool.

During her teenage years, Sue became increasingly estranged from her family and at the age of 15 years, ran away from home with a friend. Her parents were very worried for her safety and eventually found the girls and brought them home to live. At 17 years, Sue moved out of home permanently. She moved around from place to place not settling until she found her current lodgings in 1991.

Sue doesn’t see her family any longer. When Sue was 23 years old she had a son who now, at the age of 25 years is a Policeman on the North Shore. “He was a pharmacist but changed his career because he wanted to help people…I had him until he was three months old but realised I couldn’t look after him, so I found and agency who put him in a foster home, I didn’t have any money, but they did a better job than I would have done…I didn’t want to bring him up in the Cross, its no place for a little baby. People said I was a terrible person, but look at him now he is a police officer and very happy”.

Sue saw him quite regularly when he was little and is very proud of his achievements. Her main concern was always for his welfare and happiness. Sue has also had two daughters who were adopted out at a very young age and would now be in their late twenties. She is not sure of their whereabouts and is not keen to interrupt their lives.

Sue likes the fact that the boarding house where she lives is close to city and enjoys all facilities the area has to offer. “One of my favourite places to eat is the Wayside Chapel. They have a great cook there and the meals are really cheap too. If I have a bit of extra money I have a meal at a place in Darlinghurst, they have got good food there”.

There are more single men than woman living in the boarding house where Sue now lives. One of the most noticeable changes in the house over the past few years has been the growing number of backpackers taking up this form of accommodation. Sue keeps to herself, but she has become friendly with one elderly lady who has given Sue many of the clothes she owns.

Sue has a boy friend and although they have similar interests, she is keen to keep her independence and continue living by herself. Sue is allowed to have him stay overnight, however she is one of the few residents that are able to do this. The general rule in the boarding house has always been that residents are not allowed to have visitors, but since a new manager was appointed some months earlier she has relaxed the rules for some of the residents. Sue values the thoughtful consideration of the present manager.

Sue has felt the stigma attached to people who live in boarding houses, and is sensitive to the judgements of others on her living situation.

“I tell people that there is nothing wrong with living in a boarding house. We have everything we want. We have a telly, a fridge and microwave. It is a perfectly legitimate form of accommodation for people especially those who want low cost housing”.

Music is a very important part of Sue’s life. She particularly loves music from the 60’s and regularly goes to see bands from that era playing at the Rooty Hill RSL. In 2001, Sue went along to the venue to see ‘The Searchers’ and was thrilled when she was invited to have a photograph taken with the band.

“I was just so excited, these guys were my heroes and I got to see them, I jumped up on stage and kissed one of them…I’ve also seen Manfred Man, and the Easy Beats…I love that type music… if I didn’t have music in my life I’d go crazy…during the sixties I was going to school and I remember being in love with the Rolling Stones and my parents hated them…”

A day at the football is a treat for Sue. She is a keen supporter of the Manly team and was most disappointed recently when Manly, who was tipped to reach the semi finals, lost their qualifying match. At the match she usually meets up with friends and has “a cup of tea and a meat pie” with them.

Sue has had many jobs over her time. She has worked in restaurants, cafes, offices, but has found it difficult to get work over the last few years. At the moment Sue does charity work with an organisation called ‘Jesus Cares’. Her main goal in her life is to travel and to move to the Gold Coast.

“In 1989 I went to Perth for eight months but missed the hustle and bustle of Sydney. I really want to travel around Australia, some day I will, I just need to win some money and then I will be off”.