The saying goes that life is a lottery, and in nineteenth century Sydney two men promised everyone a chance to win big. In the early 189os Australia experienced a severe economic depression. Many banks and other financial institutions went bust. One casualty was the Mercantile Building Land
Read more →
In 1895, architect Alan Cameron Walker designed his own home, Huonden, in his birthplace of Hobart. The property had an immediate impact; That charming coterie of accomplished ladies and gentlemen who strive to keep an interest in art alive in our midst and who form the
Read more →
As a dairy farmer’s daughter, the first holiday I ever had (apart from staying with relatives) was in the little Tasmanian town of Boat Harbour. With cows to milk every day we just never went on family vacations. My seaside holiday was thanks to Laura and Geoff
Read more →
In 1933 Tasmanian born artist Stephen Bransgrove was being feted as a principal prize winner at the 108th annual exhibition at the National Academy of Design in New York City. Bransgrove was a complete unknown, so it was a huge but pleasant surprise. Apparently he had lived
Read more →
The Merino – ship of treasures. In July 1949, Tasmanian Premier Robert Cosgrove travelled to Scotland to launch the freighter Merino. It had been built on Glasgow’s River Clyde on behalf of Launceston trading company L.W. Smith Pty. Ltd. A bottle of Tasmanian champagne had been sent
Read more →
In September 1953 an event celebrating the history of nursing in Sydney was held at the Town Hall. It was organized by the Australian Trained Nurses Association. One of the major characters represented in the ‘cavalcade’ was Lucy Osburn, first matron of the Sydney Infirmary (later known
Read more →
Eric Huxley, 19, a student of the Sydney University, living at Clanalpine Street, Mosman, was struck by a motor car as he was crossing Parramatta Road near the University yesterday. He suffered a fractured skull…..he died late last night. (Sydney Morning Herald, June 13 1930) The young
Read more →
Boxes of transparencies taken by my in-laws, Jean and Alan Conolly had not been opened in nearly 60 years. They were mostly family shots taken around Hobart (Glenorchy and Sandy Bay) in the 1950s and early 60s. I might add that my own parents were still using
Read more →
Martin Ryan owned a grazing property at Thalia, a few miles from Wycheproof in the region of Victoria known as the Wimmera. Ryan had originally purchased a modest holding at just 30 shillings per acre. Over the years he increased his property to 3,000 acres. By 1928
Read more →
Mining for gold on Tasmania’s rugged west coast in the 1880s presented extreme challenges. However, some of the State’s largest nuggets were found at Rocky River, about 26 miles (over 40 kilometres) from the small town of Corinna, In 1906 an ex- miner calling himself Mugil
Read more →