We recently had the pleasure of welcoming over thirty members of this group to our museum. They had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed looking for the various “curiosities” we had hidden around the museum and trying to identify them. Altogether they spent about two hours with us and all agreed it had been a…
Two Newspapers – written by soldiers, for soldiers. Among the treasures recently rediscovered in the museum’s archives are two special edition newspapers from April 1935. The newspapers were printed to mark ANZAC Day, a commemoration that did not become a day of national remembrance until 1927. Previously, individual states observed the occasion in their own…
One of the most valued possessions of the State Library of NSW, the Tasman Map, displays the results of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman’s two voyages to the southern ocean between 1642 and 1644. The Tasman Map shows remarkably accurate sections of the Australia’s western and northern coastlines, and forms the basis of most charts produced over…
Daisy May Bates was born Margaret May O’Dwyer, on 16 October 1859 at Roscrea, County Tipperary, Ireland. At the age of twenty-four she travelled on the Almora to Australia. She stayed at the home of the Bishop of North Queensland and later with several family friends who had migrated previously. Because of this she later said ‘Australia…
It is with great sadness we bring you the news that we have lost one of our oldest and most valued members. Betty passed away peacefully on Sunday, 20th March aged 95. Our museum will greatly miss her. We could always rely on “Our Betty” no matter what had to be done. She was always…
Following on from last month’s story about the closing of the Pine Inn, Concord, we felt we should bring you more of the history of this hotel. The hotel would go on to trade for another 148 years. Its existence as a pub though could have been cut short just six years after opening, when…
Permission Refused The following article was published in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday, 20 February, 1922. The introduction of boxing into the district is objected to by the Central Concord Progress Association which has written to the local council protesting against the granting of an application for permission to hold a contest in a…
Rev. Robert Samuel McKee Pickup, MC, ED Robert Pickup was born in Auburn on 30 December 1888. His early education was at Auburn Public School and thereafter at Baptist College in Parkville Victoria. He graduated from there in 1914 and was ordained into the ministry. When war broke out, Robert returned to Sydney where he…
Millions of people have had their tastebuds tickled by the taste of Arnott’s Biscuits, but how did those famous bickies get to the shops? The answer, for many years, was by rail. ABV (Arnott’s Biscuits’ Van) 7604 is in The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum’s display hall at Thirlmere. Arnott’s was a valued customer…
One hundred years ago, another pandemic was causing devastation around the world. At a time where digital banking and contactless payments couldn’t easily substitute the use of cash, Danny John and Juli Liddicoat investigate what the world looked like for Commonwealth Bank employees and customers, as seen through the eyes of the Founding Governor Denison…
Year 2021 has gone – and best forgotten. No visitors, no speakers, no gatherings. We just need to put it all behind us and look forward to a brand new 2022. Guest speakers are back on the first Saturday of each month and special events are being planned. Follow us on Facebook or check our…
The St George Community Transport group were finally able to visit our museum in January. This group of 20 visitors, plus carers and drivers had originally booked a visit just before the Covid-19 lock down and had been trying ever since. They spent about an hour and a half here, viewing the displays and enjoying…