It looks like a normal Aussie shed, but these walls hid horror beyond comprehension. The Telegraph eyes compound where incest family lived
Source: News Limited
THERE is a quiet town in southern New South Wales hiding the darkest of secrets.
The Daily Telegraph is prevented by the NSW Children's Court from naming it or even describing its exact location. But we have been there.
In the hills surrounding the town, years of systemic abuse and incest were carried out in a largely self-sufficient commune of caravans and makeshift pens.
Today, a faded slippery-dip and push bikes lie untouched in what is just average Aussie bushland. But it is where the incestuous "Colt" family, as they were referred to for legal reasons, lived a reclusive, sheltered life - maintaining and building on a family of brothers and sisters from brothers and sisters.
The family tree (below) explains the relationship between the siblings over four generations, starting with Colt's great-grandparents were brother and sister.
The winter before last, 40 adults and children were found living in two filthy caravans, two sheds and tents on an unsewered block with no running water.
Twelve starving, illiterate and deformed children had to be rescued by police and community services. It was July 18, 2012.
Dirt caked the surfaces of stoves and cooking facilities, along with rotten vegetables in a refrigerator and a kangaroo was sleeping on one of the children's beds.
The children were sexually involved with each other and only one, the youngest, a five-year-old girl, had parents who weren't related.
One police officer later reportedly told her colleagues, she would never get over it.
The five family groups comprised of sisters, Rhonda, 47, Martha, 33, and Betty Colt, 46, who slept every night with her brother, Charlie, and two of Betty's daughters who each had children, proved to be from unions of related parents.
Betty's granddaughter Kimberly, 14, was underweight and unable to clean her teeth, use toilet paper or comb her hair.
DAILY TELEGRAPH EXCLUSIVE TOMORROW: THE COLT FAMILY COMPOUND - PICTURE SPECIAL
Most were uneducated but The Daily Telegraph understands at least two of the Colt teenagers went to the local high school where they were told to shower before class for hygiene reasons.
"I'm not able to talk about that," is all the school's principal will say.
People that live in the town say the Colts would arrive in two "huge Toyota troop carriers" to do their shopping at a local supermarket.
Familytree
There is a prevailing feeling within the town it will be tarnished by the Colts incest if its location is revealed.
"I don't know anything," says the manager of the local store.
"I've commented on that in the past and it's come back to bite me on the arse."
The manager at the local pub, where two workmen are the only customers, offers little more:
"I'm aware of them but I'm unable to help you further," the manager says.
A "sixth generation" female resident of the town says rumours and gossip about the Colts still dominate local conversations.
"They always kept to themselves," she says.
"They were just like a normal family except they were all kids.
"One of them died earlier this year ... he had a baby with his sister."
She says many of the Colts had red hair and appeared "slouched".
Once their shopping was done they would return to their home tucked into the bush, only accessible by the dirt road that leads in from the bitumen. The 30km trip from town to the Colts' refuge of a large tin shed, caravans, a water tank and kids play things, takes drivers past numerous property "for sale" signs.
"Everyone is selling up," says a local.
"As soon as it got out, nobody wanted anything to do with the area. [One property] has been on the market for months."
The property has since been sold and the new owner has no connection with the "Colt" family."
