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Bar Island is a small uninhabited rocky outcrop at the mouth of Berowra Creek. It has a fascinating history. Visited and used by Aboriginal people for possibly thousands of years, it became the community centre for lower Hawkesbury River settlements in the latter part of the 19th century. A church, school and burial ground were present there and it was the focus of community activity for many years until the arrival of the railway caused the population to move to Brooklyn. This book brings together for the first time what is known about its history and reminds us of its outstanding heritage values. Soft cover, B5, iv +60 pages, illustrations, maps, index.
This book brings together Hornsby Shire residents' recollections of the hard times of the 1930s when the Great Depression impacted on the lives of all Australians. It outlines Federal and State government approaches to the situation and how these changed over time. It also focuses on the local community's and Hornsby Shire Council's efforts to assist those experiencing hardship by providing food, clothing and work. The camaraderie of the unemployed, their sharing of any work available, and the generosity of those somewhat better off comes through in the writing and reminds us of the strong community spirit of the times. Soft cover, B5, vi + 58 pages, illustrations, index.
The Ward family made major contributions to the social, civic and business life of Windsor for almost a century. Joseph rose from humble beginnings to become mayor of Windsor and one of its most respected citizens. His sister, Isabella, devoted 20 years to caring for Henry Lawson when the author fell on hard times. This book presents an attractive account of family life along the Hawkesbury at a time when family values and personal morality were held in higher esteem than is often the case today. Soft cover, B5, viii + 56 pages, illustrations, notes, index.
Few people know of Brooklyn's close association with the creation of the Commonwealth. The completion of the Hawkesbury rail bridge in 1889 was seen as a major step towards federation, a point strongly made by Henry Parkes at the opening ceremony. In 1891 the federation convention visited Brooklyn while drafting the constitution aboard the Lucinda. In 1901 the Duke and Duchess of York called at Brooklyn on the royal yacht en route to Melbourne to open the first Commonwealth Parliament. The author describes these events in detail and reveals how much of historical interest can be found in a small Hawkesbury village. Soft cover, B5, vi + 42 pages, illustrations, maps, notes, index.
These rare early accounts of boating holidays capture the joys of exploring the Hawkesbury waterways with their impressive scenery, secluded anchorages and colourful characters, in the days when it was unknown to most Sydneysiders. Includes early yachting and motor boat cruises in Pittwater, Cowan Creek, Brisbane Water and up the Hawkesbury; a rowing holiday up the Colo River; and the diary of two young women canoeing down the Hawkesbury in 1941. Soft cover, B5, vi + 42 pages, illustrations, maps, notes.
The small Hawkesbury village of Brooklyn has been home to an astonishing number of colourful characters and incidents. The author, drawing upon oral and written records, has brought together a number of these in a whimsical but sometimes sombre volume of stories based on fact. The book provides an entertaining snapshot of the early days of life along the Lower Hawkesbury. Soft cover, B5, iv + 44 pages, illustrations, maps, sources, index.
The author, after extensive archival and field research, has compiled details of all recorded deaths and burials associated with three Lower Hawkesbury burial grounds: the Brooklyn Cemetery, the Bar Island Cemetery and Peats Ferry. This is a valuable reference work for family historians and anyone interested in the history of the Lower Hawkesbury. Soft cover, B5, 48 pages, illustrations.
In 1867 the Hawkesbury River rose nearly 20m and created an inland sea from Windsor to the Blue Mountains. Unprecedented damage and hardship resulted. In 1874 much of Windsor was destroyed in a few hours by fire. The book gives a detailed account of these two dramatic episodes and their impact on the Hawkesbury community. It is a story of destruction, heroism and resilience which has become part of the folk memory of the Hawkesbury. Soft cover, B5, x + 86 pages, 32 illustrations, maps, references, index.
'The first historical account of events that remain among the great disasters of Australian history.' Prof. Carol Liston
Winner of the 2002 Ebenezer Ward national community history prize.
Based on archival research and oral history this is an account of the Dharug people living on a reserve beside the River. It describes people's close relationship with settler families, their contribution to farm work, their prowess at cricket, and the activities of the mission. It is an important contribution to Aboriginal history and our knowledge of the Hawkesbury. Soft cover, B5, viii + 96 pages, illustrations, maps, index.
Axel Poignant (1906-1986) is a major figure in Australian photography. In these brilliant images he explores the way of life of descendants of pioneer settlers living along an isolated tributary of the Hawkesbury half a century ago. Soft cover, quarto landscape, 48 pages.
'Nostalgic, unassuming and deeply personal.. it has a heart as big as this great continent of ours.'
The author describes his childhood during the 1930s and 40s at Bar Point where his relatives owned a boatshed for visiting anglers. There were no roads, electricity or telephones. Everyone travelled by boat including the parson, postman, grocer and an extraordinary variety of salesmen. This is a valuable and entertaining contribution to the record of life along the river. Soft cover, B5, 96 pages, 33 illustrations, maps, index.
'This delightful memoir covers the effect of World War II on the remote river communities and introduces readers to an array of river personalities.'
The author looks back on 70 years of life along the Lower Hawkesbury. He recalls his childhood in Brooklyn and later experiences as skipper of Surprise II and the Sackville. For the past 40 years he has worked at the slipway built by his father in 1921 and he describes many of the craft repaired there and the people associated with them. The book gives us a rare view of life along the river since the 1920s. Soft cover, B5, viii + 64 pages, 30 illustrations, map, index.
'An interesting and worthwhile account of activities on this major river system.'
What was it like to grow up in a rural suburb 60 years ago? This book recalls the simple pleasures of childhood games and everyday life in the days before TV and computer games. Pocket money was earned by selling home-grown vegetables, collecting firewood and retrieving lost golf balls. Mothers were occupied with housework without the aid of modern appliances. Salesmen called offering clothing, medicines and cash loans. The author captures the joys and hardships of life in the 1940s and 50s in an affectionate memoir enlivened with amusing anecdotes and memorable portraits of local characters. Cartoon illustrations by Peter Davis.
Soft cover, B5, vi + 58 pages, illustrations, index.
These two small semi-rural suburbs sent many of their young men to serve at the Front during the 1914-18 Great War in Europe. The author describes the part they played in the campaign at Gallipoli and in the trench warfare of the Western Front. Nothing in their life at home could have prepared them for the carnage and horrors they encountered during their period of service. The events overseas are recounted in parallel with what is happening in their home suburbs: enthusiastic recruiting drives, Red Cross meetings, the despatch of ‘comforts’ to the troops, and petty squabbles about tree planting and the location of a railway crossing. As casualty lists lengthen the mood at home becomes more somber when tragedy strikes many families. The author provides an account of events replicated across Australia: of the 417,000 men sent overseas, 59,258 never returned. Soft cover, B5, vi + 96 pages, illustrations, maps, index.
The Lachlan, Nepean, Shoalhaven, Snowy, Warragamba and Wollondilly are some of the rivers that feature in this reminder of what we have lost as a result of damming and polluting so many of our waterways. The author draws upon her own experiences to recall the pleasures and challenges of canoeing the wild rivers of New South Wales before they were 'tamed' and despoiled: skilfully shooting rapids, camping amidst spectacular scenery, swimming in crystal clear waters, and sharing the day's adventures with fellow paddlers around the campfire in the evening under the stars. These recollections are supplemented with stories by other enthusiasts and liberally illustrated with photographs from the author's extensive archive. Sadly, only a handful of the pioneers of canoeing in New South Wales are still with us but this book captures their experiences in a way that will appeal to anyone who has ever paddled a canoe or kayak. Soft cover, A5, iv + 60 pages, illustrations.
Copyright 2009, Deerubbin Press