Robert Holt

Robert, also known as Bobby or Holty, passed away in September 2022. His four surviving children and wife have provided the following story. Robert was born in Gayndah and went to primary school in Mundubbera. He was the son of James “Jimmy” (Bidjara) and May Holt (Wakka Wakka, nee Pickering). He was a happy child and an exceptional sprinter and boxer. He loved being with his mob and had a deep pride in his family. He joined the RAAF out of a sense of duty, feeling he was going wayward, even though he loved his job at the Post Office in Brisbane. He lied and asked his mother to sign some employment paperwork from the Post Office, but it was his enlistment papers. Jimmy was adamant that Robert should not enlist and would explain that his grandfather would not want his family fighting for a country that stole theirs. Subsequently, following Robert’s enlistment, Jimmy only began talking to him again once he returned home one day a few years later in uniform. Robert was proud of his job. His eldest daughter remembers the excitement on his face, packing his bag, and putting it by the door when he was on amber alert for the Gulf War. She had already lost her mother at a young age, Pamela Holt (nee Francis), who was also a serving member of the RAAF; she did not want to lose her father, too. She recalled this memory to him in the later years and asked why he was excited to go and fight and possibly be killed; he simply said he was finally able to put into action what he was trained to do. However, as a widower with three dependent children at the time, Robert was given a lower priority, and he was not deployed, which disappointed him decades later.

After retiring from the RAAF, Robert went on to work in Aboriginal Health at NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and Kambu Medical Centre. He also briefly worked as a field officer at Wakka Wakka Legal Service and as a manager in Brisbane Aboriginal Hostels. These roles allowed him to continue serving his community and making a positive impact on the lives of others. While Robert spent a lot of time away from his Country, he deeply loved it, his mob, and his ancestors. On trips to Gayndah for family catch-ups, Robert would always stop at Ban Ban Springs, a place that held great significance to his mob, to pay homage and for spiritual nourishment. Robert was proud of his service and loved and loyal to his ADGie mates. Many became lifelong friends who would help each other regardless of time or place. He enjoyed a beer, a bet, and a laugh and would always turn a conversation into a story about his ADGie days. Men would say he was a joker, and women would say he was cheeky. He would cheer on the St George Illawarra Dragons and be their number-one supporter until the end, so much so that Robert got their logo tattooed on his arm in his 60s despite once telling his son never to get a tattoo! He is sadly missed and will be forever in our memories.

– Tim Holt and family