Maryanne Martin

Today was a day of relaxing and cooking. Nothing much to report, so thought I’d share a bit of info on the 2008 Kullarri NAIDOC Patron, Maryanne Martin…

Nominated by the BRAMS committee as the first Aboriginal nurse/midwife in the Kimberley region.

Maryanne was born on 18th February 1941 at the Beagle Bay Mission. She was one of 9 children born to Ursula Grace and Vincent Martin. After several years her family moved to Broome where Maryanne attended St Mary’s Primary School where her teachers were the St John of God nuns.

From an early age Maryanne’s interest in health was encouraged and became a reality when the Matron of the Broome Hospital (Sr Allie Evans) commented ‘I want you girl’ and arranged her recruitment into Enrolled Nurse Training at Mt Henry Hospital for the Elderly and the Merridin District Hospital. Graduating in 1959, Maryanne returned to the Kimberley for a short stint at the Broome Hospital, before deciding to undertake her General Nurse training in the Victoria District Hospital in Geraldton. Completing this in 1964, Maryanne further graduated in Obstetrics at St John of God Hospital in 1969.

Maryanne worked at the Broome Native Hospital where leprosy was still a common condition. Her nursing experience developed further through working as an emergency relief nurse travelling from hospital to hospital, she worked at Laverton, Wongan Hills, Kellerberrin, Southern Cross, Onslow and Derby hospitals, living out of a suitcase. Maryanne is a strong and determined woman; she refused to obtain her citizenship papers and through her nursing work cross boundaries and allocated curfew times.

Her professional and personal experiences as an Aboriginal nursing sister ignited her commitment to help Aboriginal people to gain control of their own health needs.

The voluntary administrator of the emerging Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS), Kevin Cox approached Maryanne and invited her to come on board on a voluntary basis. This she did for several years, working long hours of 3 shifts, 5 days a week and Saturday mornings. Her work at this time was both receptionist and nurse.

Maryanne continued working at the service for the next 25 years and when retired became an active member of the BRAMS committee.