Joyce Dukes was born Joyce Margaritte Herbert on the Roper River Mission, in the Northern Territory. Her mother Priscilla was born at Alexandria Downs and her father, Edward Herbert was born at Borroloola. During the time of the Japanese bombings on Darwin, the seven year old Joyce and other children were removed from the Roper River Settlement, first to Alice Springs and then on to Sydney.
Joyce stayed at the Mulgoa mission for seven years. Her mother was working as a housekeeper in Pymble and when it was time for the children to be taken back to Alice Springs a supervisor told the 14 year old Joyce to run as fast as she could to her mother. Joyce made headlines in the Sydney Morning Herald as the Aboriginal Girl dodges trip to Alice Springs. Joyce hid at the Pymble home of Mr and Mrs T W Thornley and on January 28, 1949 the Minister for the Interior (Mr Johnson) gave permission for Joyce to stay with her mother.
