THE DEVILISH MR DESIRE LA COURT

THE DEVILISH MR DESIRE LA COURT

Desire La Court arrived in Australia before the outbreak of WWI as George Ohl, from Frankford. Like so many others he was interned as an enemy alien, initially in Queensland, from where he escaped, and then at the huge Holsworthy camp in New South Wales. It was

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GOLDEN GIFTS FOR A GOVERNOR’S DAUGHTER

GOLDEN GIFTS FOR A GOVERNOR'S DAUGHTER

Mary Stewart (nee FitzRoy) was the only daughter of Governor Charles FitzRoy. She was living in England with her husband Keith Stewart when her mother, Lady FitzRoy, was killed in a tragic carriage accident at Government House, Parramatta in December 1847. At this point the Stewarts had

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PLAGUE SCARE AT PARRAMATTA

PLAGUE SCARE AT PARRAMATTA

It’s hard to imagine Sydney having an epidemic of bubonic plague, but that’s what happened in 1900. The infection arrived on a visiting ship in January, and spread in overcrowded, unsanitary slums. THE PLAGUE – PARRAMATTA’S PRECAUTIONS I hadn’t realized there was a vaccine against plague, but

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LIEUT. JOHN WATTS; AIDE-DE-CAMP & ARCHITECT

LIEUT. JOHN WATTS; AIDE-DE-CAMP & ARCHITECT

Mention the term  ’colonial architect’ in New South Wales and most people would respond with the name Francis Greenway. That is quite understandable, but let’s bring another deserving character out of the shadows. Who better to speak of John Cliffe  Watts’ ability and character than Elizabeth Macquarie?

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EVE’S PARADISE: WOMEN IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH

EVE'S PARADISE: WOMEN IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH

  The spectre of climate change and periods of prolonged drought have created  an upsurge of interest in the growing of  Australian native plants. However, we have been  slow to embrace them. I suspect  this would surprise and disappoint  women  pioneers such as Elizabeth Macarthur, who began

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FERRIES; THE OLD LADIES OF SYDNEY HARBOUR

FERRIES; THE OLD LADIES OF SYDNEY HARBOUR

Each Australia Day, commuter ferries  race down Sydney Harbour,  decorated  with bunting and loaded to the gunnels with cheering supporters. They remind me of well dressed matrons  competing in the  hundred metre dash at school sports days. In 1984 the exertion proved too much for the aging

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