Peter Copeland

Hi, my name is Peter Copeland and though I was born in Sydney and am now in Adelaide, I am first and foremost a Queenslander.

I have been searching to try and find out more about my families, but have also been locating family still alive. My parents have sadly passed away, so have my direct aunt and uncle but there are cousins everywhere especially in QLD, and it is this family that I continue to search for.

My birth mother comes from a well regarded, well respected, well known, long line of Copeland’s in Bathurst, NSW.

I am also the 6th generation descendant of well-known landowner, pioneer, soldier and explorer Maj Edmund Lockyer through my adopted mother’s side. The Lockyer Vallery is named in his honour in QLD and the town of Albany in WA was founded by him.

My father, uncle and grandfather dutifully served in the Australian Army and RAAF signing up in 1942 and 1943. My father was discharged from the army after being wounded and met my mother, a Red Cross nurse tending to the war wounded in Brisbane, while convalescing.

I was physically and sexually abused in my youth a number of times and I never told anyone. I was too ashamed, too scared to even mention it to my favourite family members. Both abusers destroyed everything that could have been. It has denied my three kids of a father that is able to get close to them, it has denied me the opportunity to be happy and productive and carry on proper relationships with my partners.

I began to rely on alcohol and drugs to forget my past and lost contact with my family. I would now like to locate them so that I can apologise and ask of them to renew contact.

The family which I have made contact with so far have been tremendous. They have listened, understood my life and have been only too glad to keep in touch.

I am very proud of my family.

I would also like to thank the people of Lotus Place in Brisbane who have become part of my extended family as they helped me struggle through the obstacles and problems I have been encumbered with as a Forgotten Australian. They have been with me through the Forde Inquiry where I faced my childhood abuse and onwards and will be there for as long as I need be, totally accepting and supportive 100%.

My return home to my roots in Queensland is important to me. Once there I can receive help and support fist hand instead of long distance by professionals and more importantly re-unite with family contacts and the love and support only family can offer.

28th January 2015

Hi everyone and best wishes for New Year. For me, it marks having done 19 years and now, only 2 months to go. Have been involved in Royal Commission into Institutional Abuse. Brought up some long forgotton, on purpose, dark times. However, got through that so anything else is minimal.

Looking for pen pals, so if you feel a desire to contact, all mail will be answered. Write to PO BOX 6, Port Augusta, SA, 5700.