I’m normally a social girl, I love to meet my mates. But lately with the virus here, we can’t go out the gates. You see, we are the ‘oldies’ now, we need to stay inside, If they haven’t seen us for a while, they’ll think we’ve upped and died. They’ll never know the things we…
Following is a comment posted by Ann B to an article of the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital. We felt it was too good not to share. What a wonderful description! I grew up in the 1950’s in the gatehouse of the Thomas Walker Hospital. By that time, of course, suburbia was well established and most…
Australian slang is an important part of our every day vernacular – it’s what makes this nation a “bonza” place. To the outsider, it must seem like a second language, but just in case there are some identity issues – especially given the citizenship debacle that plagued federal politics recently – the team at The Land has provided readers…
The image above is a beautiful glimpse into a day out and about on the water. Sydney has many beautiful river and creek systems that feed into the spectacular Sydney Harbour, and these have long been a popular destination for a lazy day out and about, used by residents and visitors alike. Yet this postcard…
A documentary, which follows the unknown and untold story of 58 Canadian patriots from Lower Canada, sent into exile in the penal colony of Australia from 1840-48, was to have been released in May this year with three particular ceremonies: May 18, Bayview Park, 50th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial in Concord; May…
The Longbottom Stockade was situated at the corner of Loftus Street (formerly Stockade Street) and Parramatta Road, in what was to become the Village of Longbottom (later Concord). “Longbottom” is a traditional English place name which derives from the old word “bottom”, once used in the north of England to describe low-lying, swampy alluvial ground….
Why are so many people trying to re-write the nursery rhymes of our childhood to rid them of sexism, violence and social insensitivity? They should be left alone because they are important historic commentaries containing more than meets the eye. Not content with angry adults already knocking off Noddy, shooting down Biggles and black-balling the…
The armistice of 11 November 1918 was celebrated in Concord with fervour. Citizens immediately formed tin-can bands and took to the street and within twelve hours of the news of armistice the Western Suburbs Master Carriers’ Association had organised what was then the largest procession in the history of the Western Suburbs. Beginning at Concord…
Alison Gardener Brooks Remembers At age 18, in 1976, I started training as a registered nurse at Concord and graduated as a Registered Nurse by age 21. I think our training group was 119 but might be wrong. There were, I think, 20ish ramp wards at the time: medical, respiratory, renal dialysis and psychiatric; other ramp…
Also known as All Fools’ Day, it is celebrated annually on the first day of April. It is a time for the traditional playing of pranks upon unsuspecting people . . . the victim of such a prank being called an April Fool. The origins of this custom are somewhat uncertain, but may have initially…
The Sydney Icebeg (April Fools’ Day – 1978) On the morning of April 1, 1978, a barge appeared in Sydney Harbor towing a giant iceberg. Sydneysiders were expecting it. Dick Smith, a local adventurer and millionaire businessman, had been loudly promoting his scheme to tow an iceberg from Antarctica for quite some time. Now he…
Times were hard, but we survived, just as we will survive the current crisis. By 1931 30% of NSW unionists were unemployed. By 1933 one in three Australian breadwinners was unemployed. Most public works came to a standstill during the Depression, forcing many men onto the unemployment pile. Those who received the dole could be…
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