Susan and Ab Schimmel migrated to Australia in 1970. They started their married life in Brisbane. The first month in a migrant hostel and a year in a flat. Land and a house were soon purchased. An old VW bus was bought in the first weeks and this brought us during our holidays from Sydney to Darwin.  During the start-up period Susan worked as a nursing sister and Ab as a wood machinist. In one of our holidays we visited friends in the Northern Territory who worked there as lay missionaries. We liked the place and a year later we ended up in Port Keats where we stayed for two years. Susan worked there as a nursing sister and Ab as manual arts teacher and handyman.

 Because Ab had no qualifications as a teacher, upon return to Brisbane he applied for a scholarship and was eventually accepted. After two years study and a short stint teaching in Brisbane a posting in Ingham, North Queensland was obtained. This is a small sugar growing town with a large Italian population. Three years were spend there and a transfer was applied for to Townsville. Because we did not want to go back to Brisbane, which had grown too much. In 1970 Brisbane was a big country town but this city had grown to be a modern city with all the consequences like too much people and heavy traffic. The house in Brisbane was sold and a new one designed and built in Townsville. This was in 1983.

We have two children. Paul Victor born 22 January 1977 and Luke Martin born 7 October 1982. At present both are working. Paul has been working as a plumber in Townsville. He worked for the local Honda motorcycle dealership assembling the bikes before being sold.  He lived with his girlfriend for four years and even proposed to her but the engagement broke off in August 2011. At the moment 2016 he moved to Melbourne to be a motorbike salesman.
Luke is finished with his apprenticeship  and is a mechanic. He is living with his girlfriend in a rented house in Mackay. After doing a few courses he is doing very well in a mechanical workshop where they fix large machines for the mines. Currently he is leading hand and expecting their first child in June 2016.

Since moving to Townsville Susan has worked in several nursing homes but retired from this several years ago and has a voluntary job in a Vincent de Paul store selling and sorting donated goods. Ab has been on long service leave most  of 2002, now a retired manual arts teacher from Thuringowa State high school.          A photography hobby grew to having a video business which specializes in wedding video's. This closed in 2005. Ab has been a volunteer DJ at the local community radio station presenting the Dutch, Jazz and Blues program. But lately only presents a Jazz program. To be heard on the internet www.triplet.com.au
Towards the end of 2000 an other house was purchased with the intention to move in, which we did in 2003, after we made a trip around Australia. The house in Rossiter street is a bit smaller and closer to Townsville, see another part of this site.    Since being retired a lot of use is made of the motorhome see travel tales.