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Life at Nightcliff High School, 1972

by Kevin
(Adelaide)

I attended Nightcliff High School in 1972. It was not a particularly good time for me. I had better fun working part time at Top End Radio and TV Repairs. Thanks to Mike and his wife for their support while I was there.

I did like Darwin though, the bugs, the frogs, the storms and the way everything grew so fast and lush. I think Darwin lost a lot of character when Tracy blew through. I have been back a number of times and it just seems to miss something.

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I remember you Andrew the 10 pound pin.
by: Gary Frame

I rememember you Andrew . I too stayed at Carpentaria College but only for 2 terms. I was mates with you and a kid from Pine creek. I can’t remember his name but he had blonde hair and was in your year. I was in the year above you. After 2 terms me and my brother went and stayed with some friends and my parents in Rapid creek.
I just want to say , thanks for heloo get through those tough times. My parents are long dead but I still haven’t forgiven them. So many young innocent kids came to stay at Carpenteria college and ended up being petty criminals. Not because of the college which did their best but being away from parents at such a young age was not good . Gary Frame

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Carpentaria college and nightcliff high in the 70’s
by: Lindy (Bell)

I was a boarder at carpentaria college in 71 and 72. Years 8 and 9. College food was hideous. Was so envious of students who could buy lunch at the canteen. Done lots of things since leaving school. Retired and living in Canberra and loving life.

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Oh boy, it's now 50 year...
by: Kevin

Holy moly, it's been 50 years since I was at school. (Left in 1972) Since then I have had a great working life in electronics and computing, retired in 2020. I was a long haired freaky guy at school with lots of problems. But, we are what the past makes us and I have turned out to be healthy, wealthy and wise. I apologize to those I have offended, thank those who have helped me. I have realized my dreams, travelled the world, learnt to fly (owned my own plane for 12 years) and had a threesome.

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Memories
by: Lesley

Just found this site by accident! I went to Nightcliff High in 1972, living at Carpentaria College. I remember those awful lunch deliveries too, also the hideous breakfasts served up for us boarders! Big huge cockroaches in the bathroom, making lots of friends, having my 17th birthday camping on a river with crocs swimming about and no one cared. School was great, great English teacher, the boarding not so great. But still didn't want to go home - which was Gove at the time. My first job was on Groote Eylandt.

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Darwin
by: Anonymous

I remember you Kevin. You went back to Adelaide to get an apprenticeship as a radio tech. Then learnt to fly. I ran into around 1982 at Parafield, small world.

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Memories of a 10-pound pommy
by: Andrew

I was at Nightcliffe High in 1972/73, in class 101 with teacher B. Howell, and living at Carpentaria College. Just 12 years old and Australia was still so new to me after growing up in England. I especially remember ..

- collecting shell cases at Nightcliffe Beach
- getting "stung" in the water just one day after swimming season started and waiting to die on the beach, until eventually a row of sucker marks appeared across my chest
- lunchtime deliveries from Carpentaria Collge, usually cold spaghetti or baked bean sandwiches!
- buying salty plums and red ginger from the school tuckshop
- reading what must have been the first Australian Edition of the "Little Red School Book" in the college park, and
- lusting after Marie P.

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Darwin before Tracy
by: Anonymous

I am a former student who attended Nightlife High School in 1972, originally I was in 1D1 class (Bulldog Baker's mob) but transferred to 1C3.
After Tracy I ended up at Casuarina until mid way through 1976 then went to Norwood High School in Adelaide for the rest of that year and also 1977. I met my first regular girlfriend named Adele in 1972, she transferred from Darwin High.

Darwin was a fantastic place before Cyclone Tracy, I had my ups and downs, I experienced the usual teenage angst of trying to fit in with different crews but always ended up being the odd one left out, had no problems with having girlfriends, just the guys kind of didn't take to me, maybe it was because I was always with a girl and sometimes she was already with some other guy, hahahaha.

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Texas ex pat
by: Lisa C

I went to Nightcliff High School in 1970-1971. It was OK but more restrictive than what I was used to. I had never had to wear a school uniform before and I got in trouble for wearing makeup, jewelry and nail polish. Loved the meat pies and sausage rolls from the school canteen. We lived in Alawa.
The people in Darwin were great and I had a lot of fun at the beaches, the drive-in and hanging out on Smith Street.

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