Stories of the Decades: Julieta Caballeron moves for love

In a decade, the population grew from 467 residents to 3455. 

In 1972, the declaration of martial law in the Philippines also caused many to seek a new life in Australia. 

Archived copies of The Daily Advertiser provide a snapshot of the year Julieta Caballeron arrived in the Riverina.

“Co-ordinator for the Community Youth Support Scheme, Mr Chris Bull, claims that Wagga has more than 150 teenagers addicted to heroin. Mr Bull has also said a further 500 to 800 teenagers had “tried” heroin in the last three months.” – The Daily Advertiser, February 1978. 

“The Daily Advertiser reports that three firemen were rushed to Wagga Base Hospital after being overcome by toxic fumes at a fire in a huge storage shed in Dobney Avenue. The vinyl accelerate fumes were caused by burning plastic plumbing fittings in a shed owned by Fleming’s Plumbing Services in Pearson Street.

“A huge pall of black smoke over the western end of Wagga attracted hundreds of sightseers to the fire, which broke out about 2pm.” – The Daily Advertiser, March 1978. 

Julieta Caballeron arrived in Australia on November 4,1978 and said her reason for moving was quite a story. 

“I had the first marriage over there in the Philippines, but my ex-husband was a womaniser,” she said. 

“I had three kids and he had two other wives, I found out. 

“I was a registered nurse there, so I had to find a way to get out of the country because our salary was just peanuts.” 

Julieta said she had an Australian pen pal, Rod Haggith, who used to be an engineer at a television station.

“For two years, we had been communicating and then I applied to go to Kuwait to work – it all processed and were ready to go today,” she said.

“I wrote to him and told him ‘I am sorry, but I have to go to Kuwait with my kids because we have to look to the future’.”

Julieta said she received a reply that said “Wait for me, I will come to you”. 

“So we met and he stayed there for three months,” she said. 

“All my relatives met him and said he was a really good man, so we got married then.

“I was debating with myself, if I went to Kuwait I will have to leave my children behind, so I choose them and took them to Australia.” 

Julieta said her husband processed all the paperwork for her and her children and soon enough they were ready to make the move. 

“I was worried because the kids were small, they were seven, six and five,” she said.

“I said I’ll bring the eldest and it was really successful because he was such a good man. 

“I had to go home a year and bring over the other two.” 

Julieta said they came to Wagga straight away as that was where Rod worked. When Julieta arrived there were only three Filipinos living in Wagga. 

“I haven’t moved at all since I liked it,” she said.

“It was great, but I was very homesick, but I had to be strong for the sake of my three kids.

“They really settled in well.”

Julieta said they did not struggle with speaking English, as it was taught at school in the Philippines. 

Only seven months after arriving in Wagga, Julieta won a national crossword competition.

She told The Daily Advertiser at the time that she spent a lot of time completing the puzzle. 

The prize was four return tickets, between any two airports serviced by Ansett in Australia and $500 spending money. 

“I spent a lot of time doing the puzzle and believed I might get something back from it,” she told the paper.

“I have wanted to see Sydney ever since I first arrived and will be able finalise my nurse registration at the same time.

“And I am going to buy a warm coat because I am really feeling the cold in Wagga.” 

A message from the Consul Falcon Philippine Consulate General, Melbourne expressed congratulations. 

“You have done the Philippines very proud,” it read. 

In 1984, Julieta got the registration to work. 

“I started at Wagga Base for seven months and then I was at Calvary for more than 30 years,” she said. 

Julieta said there have been some big changes in Wagga during the time she has lived here. 

“I have seen so many things go, even just the doctors,” she said. 

“I am still there, I have resigned three times – I am like a boomerang.

“Even the technology as well, the kids now become your teacher.” 

Julieta said she never felt unwelcome in Wagga and that the diversity has grown. 

“I am blessed,” she said. 

“I did not have any problems.

“It is good, in a sense, that every individual can discover different cultures and make friends.” 

Julieta had two more children and now has four grandchildren. 

“Wagga is my home,” she said.

“My mother moved here in 1984 to help me with my youngest boy.

“She re-married an Aussie too and she went to live near Young."

Julieta joked that she started a trend in her family. Julieta raised her children with both Aussie and Filipino heritage. 

In 2012, Wagga was declared an official Refugee Welcome Zone by the Refugee Council of Australia.

Julieta said anyone new in the community should feel free to reach out to here.

“I would do my best to help them,” she said. 

“Especially if they have just settled here, I know it feels.

“There is an enormous group that will help. I retired last year, so I am happy to help.” 

Julieta said there are a few challenges that people will face when moving to Australia.

“There’s the culture shock, the language because Aussie people speak so fast,” she said. 

“We are good at English, but sometimes you guys can speak so fast.” 

Wagga is now home to community members from 112 different countries of origin, who speak 107 languages and practice 62 faiths.

Over the next four weeks, The Daily Advertiser will continue to share the stories of some of those who have moved to Australia, one from each decade. Some to escape war and devastation and some for love.

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