Childhood summers spent scrambling up hills and swimming in waterholes

As the school year comes to a close and we approach the summer holidays, it is interesting to look back over some of the pastimes that children used to enjoy – many of which were outdoors. Barry Ellis grew up Read More …

Get me to the match on time!

Some of the funniest stories I’ve come across in oral history interviews have been about attempts to get to a sporting match on time.  Not all attempts have been smooth sailing! Allan Hartwell talked about how his Meadows B grade Read More …

The delights of bird watching

When we take the time to stop and enjoy our surroundings, we can be richly rewarded with beautiful sights that leave lasting memories. In 2008 I was fortunate to interview Lyn Bartlett, a keen bird watcher.  She described for me Read More …

Creating a new garden

There’s something special about having the opportunity to design and plant a new garden.  But how does one choose what to plant? What style of garden? And how does the garden evolve with time? Lyn Bartlett and her husband moved Read More …

Poetry by the blacksmith

In an earlier post I introduced Sam Smith, the blacksmith who wrote poetry. Sam was born in 1870, and worked as a blacksmith in Meadows, in the Adelaide Hills, for at least 50 years until about 1953.   He died in Read More …

Defying stereotypes: the blacksmith who wrote poetry

Blacksmiths used to be very important members of local towns, making tools, shoeing horses and repairing farm equipment. Anthony Brookman was 94 when I interviewed him in 2008.  He could remember travelling as a boy from his family’s property, Burbrook, Read More …