South Australian Victor Richardson was a talented all-round sportsman. He excelled at tennis, golf baseball and Australian Rules Football. He captained Australia in cricket and played in the infamous ‘Bodyline’ cricket series alongside Don Bradman. With this in mind, perhaps we can forgive him for a bit
Read more →
Mrs Margaret Roche was a hard working, shrewd business woman. She rose from the position of barmaid to become the owner of considerable property. Included were two hotels in Queensland; the Telegraph Hotel at Charleville and the property she lived in, the Claren Hotel, in the small
Read more →
York Street runs parallel to George Street in the centre of Sydney. Just after World War II it was the scene of a brutal murder. The victim, Jeanette Wicks. In 1935, Jeanette Wicks divorced her husband of seven years on the grounds of desertion. She subsequently
Read more →
Artist Arthur Streeton went to live at Glenbrook, in the lower Blue Mountains of New South Wales, for several months in 1891. For a pound a week he had rented four roomed Daisy Cottage, located by the station master’s house. His original intention was to paint a
Read more →
This case was so bizarre that it was recalled thirty five years later. IN THE BEGINNING… On February 16 1901, the S.S. Talune was moored at the wharf in the New Zealand city of Wellington. It was ready to leave for Sydney. A young woman who had
Read more →
Struggles around the world with the Covid19 virus have reminded us of the terrible flu epidemic that began in the final weeks of WWI. Good grief, as if there hadn’t been enough suffering! Then as now, quarantine measures were of paramount importance. There was one South Pacific
Read more →
STEAM POWERED PEOPLE MOVERS FOR SYDNEY We learn that the Works Department is making arrangements for the construction of a temporary tramway from the Redfern terminus to Hunter-Street, to be used by visitors to the International Exhibition. They expect to be able to get the motors from
Read more →
Evelyn Marsden (picture above) was always a spirited type. Growing up in rural South Australia at Hoyleton she became an accomplished horsewoman. She spent holidays on a farm at Murray Bridge. It was here she was taught to row on the Murray River, even fighting her way
Read more →
A THOUSAND POUNDS FOR A SHILLING! In 1920, an art union lottery was established in the Blue Mountain’s town of Katoomba, conceived and administered by Mr Edgar Booth. The object was to raise money for the improvement of the local showground. First prize was originally a £1,000
Read more →
Gold was discovered in the central west of New South Wales in 1893, at Wyalong. It was feared the diggings might pollute the water supply; a dam known as White Tank. Accordingly, the official town was laid out about three miles to the east. But the miners,
Read more →