Gayle Mooney

Past resident of Westlake and Acton Workers' cottage no. 8
Maiden Name: Gayle Johnston
Interview: December 2013

“My name is Gayle Mooney. I was born Gayle Johnston in the Canberra hospital and I first lived in Westlake. My father died when I was nine, and my family moved over to Acton just after that - when they were pulling Westlake down. We moved into cottage no. 8, right next door to Mrs Llewellyn (who ran a riding school). I became very good friends with her daughter Jan, and we are still good friends today. We lived in Acton from 1957-1961, when we had to move again as they were pulling the Acton Cottages down to make way for the lake. We then moved to O'Connor.

The Acton community was absolutely brilliant. Everybody knew and looked after each other. I don't remember people knocking, and my mother never refused anyone a bed. Even though we didn't have a lot of money or a big house, I can remember there were often people staying over. For us as children, Acton was just one big playground. It was a time in our lives when we all ran free. We could all go down to the river and be gone all day and we never got in trouble for being late. We just had the great freedom to be able to wander around and do what we wanted to do. Of course there was never a dull moment because of the horses (at Mrs Llewellyn's). I just loved living here.”