The Coconut Kid

A memoir of a stolen child

ISBN 978-1-923680-18-0
PAPERBACK

In his book Coconut Kid David Mills tells some of his stories. David was born in 1941 in Cranbrook, WA. At the age of four months he was taken from his family and spent the next 8 years at Parkerville Children’s Home not even aware that he had older siblings.

He started his schooling there but at the age of 8 was returned to his family where his education continued.

He began his working life at the tender age of 13 and worked, mostly as a shearer, in a number of areas of Australia. David’s stories are informative, funny and gut wrenching.

Especially as he tells of his wife’s illness and last days. He is frank about his life and its bad patches. However, you can’t but admire the man he has become, despite all he has experienced.

About the Author

David was taken from his family at 4 months old in 1941 when it was Government policy to put light-skinned part-Aboriginal children in institutions. He wasn’t reunited with his mother till he was 8. He struggled with schooling at Cranbrook in southern Western Australia and started his first job at age 14. David found his calling when he started shearing but his greatest gift is as a storyteller. With humour and remarkable honesty, David tells the stories of his life including the battle for his wife to take advantage of Australia’s first Voluntary Assisted Dying laws in Darwin in the 1990s.