Vanessa Brunton of VB Real Estate is bringing 61 Carter Road Nambour to market for the first time in decades, and the current owner David Bailey, is one of Australia’s ‘10 pound Poms’ and a man whose life story could fill a book or two.

David grew up in London during WW2 and was evacuated to the country during the London bombings.

“I was sent to stay with my old Aunt in Oxfordshire where there were a lot of country homes of very wealthy families,” he said.

“One day she took me to have a look around a mansion while the family was away, and it turned out to be Ian Fleming’s family home. It was incredible.

“I went to Bifrons School in Dagenham Essex for a time with a neighbor called George Carey, who was 2 years older than me. He went on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury. George wrote to me some years later and now people see the letter with his signature on it and don’t believe it is real!”

As a young man, David became a carpentry apprentice and went on to learn shopfitting and joinery.

“My first jobs were in very top end, posh places around London, like the Tate Gallery and expensive shops. It was a marvelous job at the time and I ended up working for the Old British Lion film studio. From there, I scored a job with MGM, building sets.”

In particular, David remembers working on what was to be Judy Garland’s final film ‘I Could Go On Singing’, with Dirk Bogard in 1963.

“Miss Garland referred to me as ‘that f------g carpenter’,” he laughed. “She was a very tragic figure though, and was badly exploited throughout her life.”

In 1968, David came to Australia as part of The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, and loved the country so much, he never went back. 

“It didn’t really occur to me to go back,” he said.  “After growing up during the War, in London, the way of life was so easy and the weather was fantastic.”

David spent many years living in Sydney and in 2001 “set my watch back 1 hour and 20 years, and bought my place in Nambour”.

“I loved the feeling that Nambour kept pace with a better time, to be honest.”

In 2007, David was invited to be part of ‘10 Pound Poms’, a book and film that was being made about The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, parts of which were filmed at his Nambour home.

“There were two academics who were following up the Scheme, one was looking at the people that stayed, and the other, the people that returned home; or the “boomerang Poms” as they were known,” David said.

Using David’s camera, several photos were shot at various locations as part of the process including the image that appeared on the promotional posters for the film and eventually, the video cover.

“That photo was taken in Weipa,” David explained. “There was a group of us sitting in the back of an old ute, about to go pig shooting. I had no idea it was going to be used for the main promotion. I am the guy, second from the left. I always think of those times with great fondness. I think they were just better.”

As for plans when his current home sells, David says “My first port of call will be a holiday; probably a nice long cruise. But at my age, I like to plan about 50 years ahead!”