John Cattell: From Homeless to Home Hill

John Cattell, a 71-year-old who originally hails from Glen Innes, in New South Wales, has been living in Home Hill for about four to five years after being homeless in Townsville. After he was placed in a housing unit courtesy of his daughter, John’s been happy to be here ever since.

“I was homeless in Townsville for about three or four years before my daughter helped put me into a housing unit here in Home Hill, through Housing Services. It’s been both great and a big relief,” John says.

Although now retired, John still plans to do some cane hauling, however, he shows the hand where he lost a finger in a cane hook accident four years ago, which he explains further.

“About four years ago, the remote had four buttons but when I pressed it my finger got caught in a cane hook and took the end off of it,” John says. “But it don’t stop me any,” he adds with a grin.

Before retiring, John was a truck driver enjoying his work until a major truck accident forced a career rethink.

“It was just another day like any other when I had a major truck accident at 60… one that ended my career in trucking. I really liked driving trucks but had to move on. I was a senior technician at hospital, and before that was in the car radio game installing air conditioners and radios.”

As it turns out that’s a good background to have, because John needs to install a new air-con compressor for his car so he can go visit his family, all who live on the coast.

“I’ve got two kids – a daughter and a son – then I’ve got three grandkids and two great grandkids, some who I haven’t seen for nearly five years. I’m looking forward to visiting them soon,” he beams.

While John’s only been in Home Hill for five years, he enjoys it in the Burdekin, which he describes as good, despite the prevalence of some drugs in the region.

“Yeah, it’s good here. I stay safe, I obey the law, and above all, I do what I got to do to be happy, have fun, and to have a good time. That’s all anyone can do,” he adds.

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John Cattell (71), down a finger but not down on his luck. Photo credit: Mark T. Rasmussen

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