Nellie Sheridan was born at Redcliffe Station in eastern Queensland. When Sheridan was young, her family was forcibly moved from their home in Banana to the Barambah Aboriginal Community, later renamed Cherbourg. At the age of ten, Sheridan was removed from her family's care and placed in the dormitory. She was only permitted to see her family once a month. In 1924, at the age of fourteen, Sheridan finished her schooling and went to work as a domestic the following year. Sheridan worked for forty-three years being given only pocket money and told that her wages were being sent to a trust fund for her. However, Sheridan was never able to access her wages or find out exactly where they were sent.
