My home town of Ulverstone, on Tasmania’s north-west coast, was always known for its potatoes. However, in the late 1940s there was another contender for the town’s most valuable export product….. CANNED RABBITS! But before I continue with that I must share an earlier venture with rabbits
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Rations and ‘comfort parcels’ for Scottish relatives were part of Jean Nicholson’s childhood memories in wartime Sydney, when her family were living at Eastwood. This is an extract from her brief memoir of those years. Food was rationed from 1942. Mum had coupons that were exchanged for
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The crew of Lancaster Bomber PB 255 was made up of six RAAF personnel and an RAF Flight Engineer. The oldest on board was only twenty five, Mid Upper Gunner Cyril Deed, who had enlisted in Hobart early in 1941. He had left a girl behind, Philma
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Recently I paused and looked skyward at this wonderful Sydney building. At street level it’s hard to appreciate its full, 300ft glory, sheathed in glazed cream, terra-cotta tiling. Somehow it reminds me of the toy blocks I played with during my 1950s childhood. However, it was built
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What a privilege it is to be part of New South Wales History Week. It’s an opportunity to speak on subjects close to my heart, and this year a chance to see a part of the state I have never visited before; Singleton in the Upper Hunter.
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Queensland was the first Australian State to initiate women serving on juries. The relevant bill was passed in 1924, although those interested had to formally indicate their desire to participate and were not actively encouraged to do so. However, in 1942 an appeal went out in Brisbane
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It’s easy to forget just how concerned ordinary Australians were for their safety during World War II. This was not without reason, given the bombing of Darwin and the arrival of Japanese midget submarines in Sydney Harbour. A giant metal boom was suspended across the harbour
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Dave McSorley was a local barber in Lithgow. He was also a heavy-weight boxer, and consummate showman. He once wagered that he could clean shave 1,000 men without a break. In the end he ran out of bristling chins, but still managed 420 shaves in 54½ hours,
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