Melva Waterman, nee Hurrell, was born at Exeter, South Australia and grew up in Adelaide's western suburbs. After finishing primary school, Melva attended the Croydon Technical School for two years before starting factory and shop work. After the outbreak of the Second World War she was assigned to munitions work at Pope Products in Beverley. For two years she rode her bicycle to shift work at the factory as well as helping look after her future husband's younger siblings. She recalls a time management study at Pope's that led to a strike by workers. She was reassigned to General Motors Holdens' factory at Woodville for a short time before she married in 1944 and joined her husband in Port Augusta where he was working on the railways. She recalls her initial response to the makeshift town. In the 1950s, without formal training, Melva began teaching locally, and she speaks about the subsequent development of her teaching career. Melva and her husband Jack had two sons and a daughter.

Port Augusta (S. Aust)