My Articles

CHEWING GUM, COLLINGWOOD & THE 1896 PREMIERSHIP

CHEWING GUM, COLLINGWOOD & THE 1896 PREMIERSHIP

Collingwood won the Victorian Football Association Premiership in 1896, They were aided, it was claimed, by a novelty product…chewing gum. In 1894 MacRobertson’s introduced the first, Australian made chewing gum.  It was marketed as being beneficial to athletes; keeping saliva flowing and containing medicinal ingredients. It was

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Dr Charles Brothers – A Psychiatrist in the Family.

Dr Charles Brothers - A Psychiatrist in the Family.

Dr Charles Ronald David  Brothers was born  in the small farming community of North Motton, North-West Tasmania. At left is his mother, born Jessie Violet Saltmarsh.  On the right is his father, Charles Brothers Snr, in uniform as a private in the Boer war.      

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Football Rivalry – The Coutas v The Mutton Birds

Football Rivalry - The Coutas v The Mutton Birds

Football rivalry in Tasmania has led to some classic encounters.  Top of the list has to be that unforgettable, 1967 Tasmanian State Premiership decider between Wynyard and North Hobart, held at West Park, Burnie. At the end of the fourth quarter the game was about to be

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MAIL TRAIN FROM GOULBURN – A MYSTERY

MAIL TRAIN FROM GOULBURN - A MYSTERY

On May 8 1895,  Mrs  Fanny Bushell,  a bank manager’s wife from Young, boarded the mail train to Sydney at nearby Harden. The train reached  Goulburn  late that night. Mrs Bushell had been the only passenger in a first class, ladies compartment. However,  at Goulburn, two nuns

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CONVICT RELICS OF BLACKHEATH

CONVICT RELICS OF BLACKHEATH

Intriguing convict relics found at Blackheath. in the NSW Blue Mountains, appear to have vanished over the years. This seems such a shame.  They were associated with the 1840s convict stockade,  located on the site of what is now the local primary school. The first school building,

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Clyde Whittle – Too slow on the draw?

Clyde Whittle - Too slow on the draw?

In 1921, the Whittle family of Hobart received quite a shock when the following letter appeared in their local newspaper; To the Editor of The Mercury Sir, I ask you to publish the death of Thomas Clyde Whittle. who lost his life in a gambling hall at

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Wrest Point Riviera

Wrest Point Riviera

The forerunner of  Hobart’s Wrest Point Casino was a luxury, 1930s hotel called Wrest Point Riviera. However, there was an inn on the Sandy Bay site as early as 1839, when William Chaffey built  the Traveller’s Rest The following photo was taken looking over Sandy Bay to

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THE POWLES CASE – GENERATIONAL HARM

THE POWLES CASE - GENERATIONAL HARM

The first part of this story involved the strange case of  Ronald Charles Powles, who  kidnapped his own toddler, Philip, in 1938. His plan was  to extort money  from his wife Joyce’s  family. He was never charged owing to lack of proof and no doubt concern for 

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THE JOURNEY OF BLUE POLES – A BABY BOOMER’S PERSPECTIVE

THE JOURNEY OF BLUE POLES - A BABY BOOMER'S PERSPECTIVE

The arrival of  Jackson Pollock’s 1952  painting Blue Poles represented  a significant shift in Australian society. The Whitlam Government had come to power in 1972 with a big agenda for change after 23 years in opposition.  Its bold decision to buy a giant, abstract artwork for an

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SIR HENRY PARKES – AN OLD PAIN IN THE NECK?

SIR HENRY PARKES - AN OLD  PAIN IN THE NECK?

Sir Henry Parkes’ political opponents often found him a pain in the neck, but as you will discover, this article refers to something quite different. Sir Henry had a most difficult childhood.  He was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, in 1815, the youngest of seven children.  His father

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