The Legend of the Patrol In 1920 the horse and cart were still a predominant means of transport. Many roads were not fit for cars, and ferries were often a preferred means of transport where available. Back then the roads were a disaster. When it rained a car could almost disappear into a pothole, and…
1. WHY . . . do men’s clothes have buttons on the right side while women’s clothes have buttons on the left? BECAUSE . . . when buttons were invented they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the…
A short while ago our member, Trish Skehan, was fortunate in being able to access diaries of a young 21-year-old Jean Curlewis, as well as a series of letters which she had written to her mother, Ethel Turner, and brother Adrian. This is Jean’s story of her first three weeks as a Voluntary Aide (VA),…
Farmer’s Letter Caused the Ute In 1932, during the savage depression years, a letter arrived at Ford headquarters in Geelong. Addressed to the Managing Director, it was from a farmer who asked simply: “Why don’t you build a car in which I can take my missus to church on Sunday and my pigs to market…
‘The Breville’ manual washing machine was made in Australia by Breville Pty Ltd in the Sydney suburb of Camperdown between 1935 and 1940. Sold as the Breville ‘ 5-minute washer’, this machine is simply a tub with a posser attached to a handle. Its selling point was that, being hand-operated, it was free of mechanical…
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…
Do not print this page until after the first of the new month
This window will automatically close after 10 seconds
