Hills History — Ron Wooden’s Journey from Marrar to Sydney

Fred and Grace Wooden welcomed Ronald into the world on 20/5/1935 at Coolamon. The family moved to Wagga Wagga where Fred leased a butcher shop until 1939. The following year they moved to Pleasant Hills, where Fred worked on the railway.

Ron lived at Pleasant Hills in the mud brick home now owned by Marty and Amanda Cunningham until he was about 17. After leaving school at 15, Ron worked at the chaff mill owned by Jack Lewington. Duties included cutting straw feed for cattle, bagging it, and loading it onto trucks and cars at the railway station.

When Fred’s position was made redundant on the railways in 1953, the family moved to Cabramatta. Ron joined the NSW Fire Brigade in 1955 and retired in 1995.

Sandra Wooden