K A Nelson

"In the early hours my thoughts fly north to the desert— to a woman I call mother, who took me to Dinner Camp told me a story, taught me a song, showed me a dance."

K A Nelson is a country girl whose destiny—marriage/children—was
thwarted by her love of difference and the opportunity to travel and
work in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Italy, Central Australia and elsewhere. Prime Minister Gough Whitlam assisted her desire to learn by paying her a small allowance to attend Sydney Teachers’ College in 1977-78 and the University of New England in 1982-84. Treasurer and Prime Minister Paul Keating contributed to her financial independence with his government’s superannuation policies.
Between 2016 and 2020 K A Nelson studied a Masters by Research
at the University of Canberra. Her exegesis and memoir with poetry
focused on white privilege and its legacy in Australia together with
lessons learnt from her working life with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural, regional and urban settings between 1981-2020.
Since 2011 Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticulture Limited has engaged
her as a two-way governance facilitator, educational associate, and team member in an innovative mapping project with traditional custodians. She hopes this important work continues and that her body holds up so she can continue to be involved.
As always, her greatest achievement and joy has been raising her
daughter to independent adulthood with lots of love and community
development principles.