My partner and I were wandering through Sydney’s newly renovated Australian Museum recently, enjoying all the natural history treasures on display. I hardly gave the Victorian armchair pictured below a second glance until I overheard a staff member explaining it’s significance to another visitor. Oh my word,
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In 1887 there was great excitement over a huge gold nugget found at Maitland Bar near Mudgee. The prize was unearthed on June 22, as three miners were working their claim; Jonathan Thorpe, Isaac Holmes and Fred Leeder. After washing two tubs of material Holmes and Leeder
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Potato growing has long been important around Ulverstone, and never more so than in the early twentieth century, when exports of new ‘spuds’ to the Sydney market began. However, a problem with government regulation led to the following letter being sent to the Advocate, the regional newspaper
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Perhaps because I’m a writer, I’ve always had a passion for desks, especially roll top models, and those with secret compartments. Unfortunately I have never owned either type. My passion for history led to me discovering portable desks, also known as campaign desks. Some even had fittings
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I was charmed to come across this little street library outside the old Presbyterian Church Hall in Wentworth Street. The first time I saw it there were even little prayer books inside. I was touched, because the church itself (next door) is struggling with a dwindling congregation.
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So our resident Wongas are raising yet another set of twins. They were sitting on eggs all through the March ‘big wet’ here in the Blue Mountains. The chicks need constant care and it’s time for Mr Wonga to take over the afternoon shift. His partner has
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Edith and George Smith married in Queenstown around 1913. They later moved to the Hobart suburb of New Town, where they ran a general store on the corner of Carlton and Pedder Streets. The building pictured below is likely to have been the store. The business was
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Who would have thought than an eggshell could provide such joy and excitement during one of the worst weather events in living memory? As readers of my bird blogs know, I have been photographing and writing about our resident Wonga pigeons for a number of years. Over
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In January 1926 there was a terrible incident at the Briseis tin mine, in the northern Tasmanian town of Derby. A dump of tailings collapsed, tearing away hydraulic water pipes. Four miners working in a ‘sump’ nearby were overwhelmed by water and soil. Two were trapped; John
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Landscaping is on the agenda here in Blackheath. Our new house in the Blue Mountains has been built within an established garden, on a similar footprint to the old, now demolished cottage. Nevertheless, new entrance steps and an added vehicle awning have meant that some mature plants
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