Corrie And Brad Bodney

Corrie (Aboriginal name) Bodney was christened Christopher Robert Bodney, born 1/11/1932. Son of William (Bill) Bodney and mother Melba Armitage. Melba was the daughter of William (Bee Gee) Armitage and (Berrangun) Louise Gentle. William Bodney was the son of Henry Bodney and Catherine Borday. Corrie's great grandmother was Kagaman. His great, great grandfather was Weenjeith. His great, great, great grandmother was Binyin a Didjarrak. His great, great, great grand father was Koobert a Ballarruk. Corrie was born in a bush camp in the Claremont Swanbourne area, on the place where Swanbourne High School now stands. This land is recognised as a traditional ancient camping ground of the Ballaruks and Didjarrak peoples and is recorded as a sacred site. The Bodney family lived at Butler's Swamp, leading a nomadic lifestyle, moving and camping, hunting and gathering throughout the Perth central regions and surrounding districts of the Whadjuk territorial boundary. As a child Corrie sold washing line props, and caddied at a golf club. In 1956 he moved into a State Housing Commission home in Lockeridge/Eden Hill and in 1959 the family moved to Allawah Grove and a few years later to Maida Vale. Corrie has been Chairman of the Balluruk Aboriginal Corporation and is the main spokesperson for the Ballurak Aboriginal group. He is a living descendant of the Aboriginal people who had traditional rights to the Whadjuk territory. On behalf of the Bodney family, Corrie lodged a Native Title claim to the Federal Court of Australia in 1998.