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Joe, Pole 251
IT wasn't much to look at, but for the past 45 years Joe Sutton lived under a tarp beside our national highway. He died last month, his only companion a small radio.
Nestled among trees 100m from one of South Australia's busiest highways, it was the 85-year-old recluse's sanctuary from the modern world.
Almost deaf and with just a little vision in his left eye, Joe's only companion was a small radio, which he kept glued to his ear.
He didn't have a cent to his name and his most treasured possessions were his magnifying glass, which he used to read newspapers, magazines and books, and his old cap.
Joe didn't own a telephone because he had no need to call anyone; his few friends always found him.
To kind-hearted acquaintances he was simply "Little Joe" – the hermit who lived at pole 251 on Highway One, 30km west of Port Augusta. Perhaps a dozen had befriended him over the past few decades. Whenever they drove past they dropped in food, water, batteries, newspapers and treats like chocolate.
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Joe died a fortnight ago, but his steely resilience, happy-go-lucky nature and friendliness will remain an inspiration to those who knew him.
"He always said he had no bills and no worries. He liked living the way he did, he was just happy there," one of his friends, Anne, told the Sunday Mail.
"He didn't really want anything from anyone, except some of their time to chat."
As best his friends can establish, Joe had been living at pole 251 for 45 years, apart from a short spell when he camped near Marla decades ago.
His "home" consisted of a ripped tarpaulin covering a rusty iron bed, an empty 20-litre oil drum for a chair and a small fireplace that kept him warm in winter, and cooked rolled oats – his favourite meal.
He was missing a few fingers on his right hand but until the past two years, his health had been pretty good.
Arthritis caused him the most grief, but no one knows when he last saw a doctor.
Joe's friends managed to establish that he was born in Lakemba in Sydney in 1922. He had a sister, Monica, and two brothers – James and Francis.
But that's where it ends. Any attempts to elicit more personal details, such as what led to him setting up camp at pole 251, were met with an abrupt "never you mind any of that".
"He never opened up about his family or what led to him living at the camp," another of Joe's friends, Nelson Garwood said.
Mr Garwood, a retired Baptist minister, said the only historical events Joe spoke about concerned his time working on various stations in the Mid-North.
"He could recite the names of the stations, how many acres they were and how many sheep they had on them," Mr Garwood said.
Joe loved company. Mr Garwood's wife, Enid, said she "often had a job getting a word in" during their visits.
"He would talk non-stop. You would just have to listen," Enid said. She said he also loved talking about football.
A mad Power supporter, he knew all the team statistics, players and memorable moments.
Besides his background, the only topic Joe didn't like talking about was politics. "He always said they were `a waste of space' and laughed," Mr Garwood said. He said Joe was aware of his lifestyle and how some people might perceive it.
"I remember one chap asking him if he enjoyed `bumming around' and he went right off," Mr Garwood said. "He objected to being called a bum. He got quite irate.
"He said he wasn't bumming on anyone, he didn't take anything and didn't owe anything."
Anne, who lives on the West Coast, said her family first met Joe in 1995 when he flagged them down and asked for food.
"I once asked him if he was hiding and he firmly said he had never been in trouble," Anne said.
Minnipa couple Doug and Beryl Elefsen said they had been visiting Joe for the past 20 years. Describing him as "fiercely independent", they said he was "always happy to see them" and have a chat.
Joe was found on the side of Highway One on May 18. He had fallen and broken a hip. He was taken to Port Augusta Hospital, but later transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after developing complications. He died on June 27.
While at Port Augusta Hospital Joe finally agreed that he should move into an aged care facility at Kimba.
At the same time a social worker made inquiries and had him registered for the pension. While it's doubtful Joe would have known what to do with the money anyway, he never received his first cheque.
Joe will be remembered by his friends at a memorial service in the Kimba Catholic church on July 23.
His ashes will then be spread around his camp site at pole 251 – just as he would have wanted it.
Joe, Pole 251
IT wasn't much to look at, but for the past 45 years Joe Sutton lived under a tarp beside our national highway. He died last month, his only companion a small radio.
Nestled among trees 100m from one of South Australia's busiest highways, it was the 85-year-old recluse's sanctuary from the modern world.
Almost deaf and with just a little vision in his left eye, Joe's only companion was a small radio, which he kept glued to his ear.
He didn't have a cent to his name and his most treasured possessions were his magnifying glass, which he used to read newspapers, magazines and books, and his old cap.
Joe didn't own a telephone because he had no need to call anyone; his few friends always found him.
To kind-hearted acquaintances he was simply "Little Joe" – the hermit who lived at pole 251 on Highway One, 30km west of Port Augusta. Perhaps a dozen had befriended him over the past few decades. Whenever they drove past they dropped in food, water, batteries, newspapers and treats like chocolate.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Joe died a fortnight ago, but his steely resilience, happy-go-lucky nature and friendliness will remain an inspiration to those who knew him.
"He always said he had no bills and no worries. He liked living the way he did, he was just happy there," one of his friends, Anne, told the Sunday Mail.
"He didn't really want anything from anyone, except some of their time to chat."
As best his friends can establish, Joe had been living at pole 251 for 45 years, apart from a short spell when he camped near Marla decades ago.
His "home" consisted of a ripped tarpaulin covering a rusty iron bed, an empty 20-litre oil drum for a chair and a small fireplace that kept him warm in winter, and cooked rolled oats – his favourite meal.
He was missing a few fingers on his right hand but until the past two years, his health had been pretty good.
Arthritis caused him the most grief, but no one knows when he last saw a doctor.
Joe's friends managed to establish that he was born in Lakemba in Sydney in 1922. He had a sister, Monica, and two brothers – James and Francis.
But that's where it ends. Any attempts to elicit more personal details, such as what led to him setting up camp at pole 251, were met with an abrupt "never you mind any of that".
"He never opened up about his family or what led to him living at the camp," another of Joe's friends, Nelson Garwood said.
Mr Garwood, a retired Baptist minister, said the only historical events Joe spoke about concerned his time working on various stations in the Mid-North.
"He could recite the names of the stations, how many acres they were and how many sheep they had on them," Mr Garwood said.
Joe loved company. Mr Garwood's wife, Enid, said she "often had a job getting a word in" during their visits.
"He would talk non-stop. You would just have to listen," Enid said. She said he also loved talking about football.
A mad Power supporter, he knew all the team statistics, players and memorable moments.
Besides his background, the only topic Joe didn't like talking about was politics. "He always said they were `a waste of space' and laughed," Mr Garwood said. He said Joe was aware of his lifestyle and how some people might perceive it.
"I remember one chap asking him if he enjoyed `bumming around' and he went right off," Mr Garwood said. "He objected to being called a bum. He got quite irate.
"He said he wasn't bumming on anyone, he didn't take anything and didn't owe anything."
Anne, who lives on the West Coast, said her family first met Joe in 1995 when he flagged them down and asked for food.
"I once asked him if he was hiding and he firmly said he had never been in trouble," Anne said.
Minnipa couple Doug and Beryl Elefsen said they had been visiting Joe for the past 20 years. Describing him as "fiercely independent", they said he was "always happy to see them" and have a chat.
Joe was found on the side of Highway One on May 18. He had fallen and broken a hip. He was taken to Port Augusta Hospital, but later transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after developing complications. He died on June 27.
While at Port Augusta Hospital Joe finally agreed that he should move into an aged care facility at Kimba.
At the same time a social worker made inquiries and had him registered for the pension. While it's doubtful Joe would have known what to do with the money anyway, he never received his first cheque.
Joe will be remembered by his friends at a memorial service in the Kimba Catholic church on July 23.
His ashes will then be spread around his camp site at pole 251 – just as he would have wanted it.