Recent Tour Reports

TOFS Trip 889

Thursday 4 June 2026

ROSE BAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

(Organised by TOFS KO)

TOFS (28): Graham L (185), Les H (469), David C (467), Jim M (209), Ron C (470), Ron O (231), David W (434), Rob O (250), Daryl H (65), Ken C (474), Terry O (147), Clynt S (69), Peter L (479), JP (27), Paul E (380), Don N (400), Frank W (475), Bruce K (68), Richard M (219), Phil B (345), Lyle W (386), Phil G (154), Jason F (464), Jeffrey H (373), Bobby T (448), Rex M (179), Richard B (296), Peter M (288).

Weather forecasts leading up to the day threatened to “rain over us”, but luckily, they proved wrong and umbrellas stayed dry and crisp. We landed at the ferry wharf to be greeted by Carolen Barripp, author of the book “Sydney Seaplanes”. She presented an overview of Rose Bay and the history of the seaplanes through the years.

AIRMAIL

After the First World War, the faster delivery of mail across the British Empire became a priority. It also became important to form airmail links across remote Australia, and the first contract was awarded in 1921. Qantas, which had been formed in November 1920, was awarded the second contract.

Imperial Airways was formed in December 1923. In 1933 its partnership with Qantas was formed, to provide airmail services between Sydney and Singapore, where handover occurred and Imperial Airways took the mail the rest of the way. Imperial was the largest airline in the world at that time. Regular airmail services commenced in December 1934, under the banner Qantas Empire Airways (QEA).

PASSENGERS

The first passengers on mail planes could travel between London and Brisbane from 1935. Flying boats made by Short Brothers of London were favoured for their capacity, power and range. The craft were medium-range, four-engined all-metal aircraft. The upper deck carried 3000 pounds of mail and freight, the lower deck a passenger saloon, toilets, a galley and cabins. Cabin seats were convertible to beds, but these were rarely used as flights were in daylight. There were a smoking lounge and space to play mini golf (putters and balls provided). Silver service meals were provided, and a pay bar was provided.

It was a 10-day trip between Rose Bay and Southampton. Shipments of gold bullion were hidden in compartments below the floor, and one-day-old chickens were carried for supply to the Singapore markets. Flying through the tropics was often difficult with severe turbulence and no weather radar.

SELECTING ROSE BAY

There were six contenders for location of the airport – Botany Bay, Lake Illawarra, Pittwater, Lake Macquarie, Pindimar Bay and Rose Bay. After some consideration Rose Bay was selected, to the horror of local nimbys. The building of the base commenced in 1938, and the huge hangar and terminal were completed in October 1939. The inaugural flight was on 4 August 1938 in the plane Camilla, arriving in England on 13th. The service ran three times per week, departing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Overnight stops: Townsville, Darwin, Surabaya, Singapore, Bangkok, Calcutta, Karachi, Basra, Athens and Southampton.

In 1938, Rose Bay became Australia's first international airport, serving as the base for Qantas Empire Airways and Imperial Airways. This connected Australia to the world through majestic flying boats, including the Short Empire, Catalina, and Sunderland aircraft. These extraordinary machines overcame the tyranny of distance.

SECOND WORLD WAR

During the Second World War, Rose Bay played a vital role in supporting the Royal Australian Air Force. By February 1942 Japan occupied most of South-East Asia and the Singapore flights were forced to cease. The Rose Bay base underwent substantial modifications to support the RAAF. New buildings and a second hangar were added, and the local scout hall was repurposed. Airlines co-operated on the “horseshoe route” between Durban and Auckland to keep wartime correspondence flowing throughout the empire. The RAAF requisitioned several flying boats to fulfil its need for long range aircraft to ferry supplies and personnel, and fly patrols.

The quality of the facilities at Rose Bay was not only suitable for flying boats such as the Short Sunderlands but also for Supermarine Walrus/seagull amphibians, Vought Kingfishers, Consolidated Catalinas, Dornier Do 24s and Martin PBM Mariners.

The shelling of Rose Bay by the submarine I-24 on the night of 7 June 1942 resulted in the nearest shell falling 400m away from the hangar. There was speculation that the base was a target but there is no evidence to suggest this.

On 17 September 1945, nine Catalina flying boats landed and moored at the Rose Bay wharf, repatriating Australian prisoners of war who were survivors of Japanese camps. A crowd of 45,000 looked on in sickened silence, aghast at the emaciated state of the returning soldiers.

AFTER THE WAR

The RAAF decommissioned the base, as advances in aircraft design and performance shifted the preference toward land-based planes. In 1946 BOAC and QEA re-introduced a twice-weekly flying service between the UK and Rose Bay, now taking just five days via Egypt, Iraq, India, Burma and Singapore. The second hangar was removed to Mascot Airfield. Outdated with their bulky designs and dependence on waterways, the flying boats ceased operation in February 1949.

Its international days mainly over, Rose Bay was used from then on for more local flights, to Brisbane, Hobart, Port Moresby and Lord Howe Island. The main role of Rose Bay Airport ended with the end of operations by Ansett in 1974.The decision was made to downscale the base but not to waste the asset, but rather to maintain it largely for pleasure purposes until today.

We were able to get access to the small museum in the Sydney Seaplanes terminal, where many displays, models and other items were on display. At the conclusion of our tour, as all eyes were turned towards the waters of Rose Bay, two sea planes took off across the bay – a fitting end to our time. One final challenge was to find the historic lettering of the sign “to airport” set into the kerb on New South Head Road. While partly obscured we were able to find and photograph it.

CLUB ROSE BAY

Rose Bay was named for George Rose, Joint Secretary of the British Treasury, who had much to do with financing the First Fleet. Rumours of an anchor tattoo upon his chest are unsubstantiated.

Club Rose Bay has a long and storied history in the local area, going back over a century - the Club was first formed by a group of WWI veterans in 1919. By 1945 funds were raised to demolish and relocate a building from Hyde Park. The new club established 1947 became Rose Bay RSL in 1951.

MUSIC

Have some fun with Jimmy Buffett "No Plane on Sunday" (1986).               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW515iq33eg

THE BOOK ‘SYDNEY SEAPLANES’

To purchase Carolen’s book here is the link:

https://www.fanplus.com/sydney-seaplane-book-2802.phtml

Graham L (185)

TOFS TRIP 887

Friday 22nd May 2026

Ten Pin Bowling at Taree

(Organised by TOFS MC)

TOFS (12): Malc S (359), Dave T (351), Norm MS (307), Ian C (376), Allan J (416), Gary S (322), Peter W (326), Tom H (393), Peter B (399), Will L (282), Ray L (407), Peter T (352).

Twelve members boarded the Halliday Shores bus at 9am on Friday morning 22nd May bound for the Club Taree Tenpin Bowling Centre at 55 Muldoon Street with driver Dave Turner at the wheel.

Arriving on the outskirts of Taree a call resonated through the bus that the coffee at Caterbox Café in Taree South comes highly recommended.  With no loudly uttered objections, driver Dave took that as his cue to guide the bus through the maze of traffic islands, roundabouts, kerbs and white lines to access the tiny premises hidden amongst the trucks and tractors on the site.  The staff at Caterbox handled our orders with their usual efficiency and it wasn’t long before we were all sitting around enjoying our morning tea while also creating more noise than had been experienced there for some time.

The accompanying pictures and scores largely tell the story of the Tenpin bowling experience. The scores indicate that some were really good and some were not-so-good.

Congratulations to Ray L (407) who blitzed the field! Coming a not-so-close second was Peter T (352) with Garry S (322) not far behind. Norm MS (307) and Peter W (326) round out the top five.

There were no serious mishaps, although some of us found the gutters a bit too often! Driver Dave mused that we would notice one of our shoulders more than the other later in the day. 

We didn’t have to travel too far for lunch, just down the road to the Greenwood Restaurant at Club Taree, where we enjoyed a meal and some liquid refreshments.

Thanks to Allan J (416) for organising the venue, Malc S (359) for facilitating attendance, Norm MS (307) for financial services, and Dave T (351) for getting us there and back safely.  Look out for the next email from Malc that will advise details of next month’s outing.

Malcolm S (359)

MC TOFS Tour Organiser.

TOFS Trip 886

Thursday 21 May 2026

SUTHERLAND SHIRE MUSEUM, SYLVANIA

(Organised by TOFS HQ)

TOFS (25): Graham L (185), Paul E (380), Les H (469), Rex M (179), Ron B (446), Ron O (231), David W (434), Frank W (475), Terry O (147), Lyle W (386), JP (27), Ray N (235), Keith R (283), Jason F (464), Kenn W (243), James B (214), Glen R (246), Bobby T (448), Jim M (209), Bob S (444), Phil G (154), Peter L (479), Ron C (470), David C (467), Jeffrey H (373).

Visitor (1): Bill S (V).

We converged on Hurstville Station bus stand K to take the ever-reliable bus 970 to Sylvania. Oh, actually not so reliable it never turned up, we sought assistance of the driver of the next 971 bus and then walked the width of the suburb of Sylvania to arrive at our destination.

Background

Here on the southern shores of Kamay Botany Bay, 'Warra Warra Wei' were the first Aboriginal words ever recorded, later translated as 'they are all dead'. This suggests that they thought the new arrivals were the ghosts of their ancestors. Cook landed here on his way to see the Transit of Venus. As it turned out this spectacle was not visible due to an overcast sky! Cook and his party explored Kurnell Peninsula. During their brief stay, a Scottish seaman named Forbes Sutherland died of tuberculosis. In his honour, Cook named the northwest point of the peninsula Point Sutherland. Cook himself originated from near the Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby, where Dracula was shipwrecked when he migrated from Transylvania to England.

When Botany Bay was chosen as the new penal settlement and the First Fleet under Governor Arthur Phillip anchored off Kurnell on 18 January 1788. After sending a party to clear land for settlement, Phillip soon realised the area was unsuitable. There was a lack of shelter for ships, inadequate water and poor soil. On 24 January, two French ships were sighted off the coast, causing Phillip to raise English colours near Sutherland Point. Governor Phillip sailed north to explore Port Jackson, and eventually settled at Sydney Cove.

The first landowner in Sutherland Shire was James Birnie, a mercantile trader who was granted by promise 700 acres (280 ha) at Kurnell in 1815. Title to land was not granted by the Crown until 1856, before which there was practically no settlement. Timber cutting was the primary industry, supplemented by shell gathering in the Port Hacking area.

Our Visit

Our guides Sue, Pauline and Leigh were there to meet us and our visit commenced with tea and cake under the museum awning. We were then divided into three groups and rotated for 20 minutes with each guide; the changeover time being marked by the ringing of a school bell.

(1)   Encounter

This section dealt with the arrival and early days of the area. A bark canoe is on display, with a clay-lined portion at one end to enable lighting of a fire. This canoe would have resembled the craft used when Cook visited Kamay Botany Bay, on the Kurnell Peninsula. An islander Tupaia met Cook and travelled with his party, known no doubt at that time for the anchor tattoos upon their seafaring chests. A sample of the ballast (pig iron) that Cook jettisoned up the coast is on display.

Thomas Holt was a wool merchant who ended up owning large tracts of today’s Sutherland Shire, he was also a politician and a businessman and built a mansion ‘Sylvania’ upon his landholding. The organ in his home originated in Canada and is currently being restored. He tried oyster farming which was not especially successful.

Sutherland is naturally isolated by rivers; it was not until coal was found in the Illawarra area that the railway line came through. Prior to that, punts were the main connection points.

(2)   Recent History of Sutherland

Leigh conducted this section of the exhibition, her family published a paper ‘The Observer’ and following the untimely death of her grandfather, her father became the editor at the age of 15. Many houses were fibro as the building materials were easier to transport across rivers and bridges. A migrant hostel was for many years located at Cronulla, which was also the site for the filming of ‘Puberty Blues’. The Hotel Cecil dominated the social scene of Cronulla during the 1930’s.

(3)   Aboriginal Items

Cabinets of items which were not sourced in the local area, held womens’ business (coolamon, weaving) and mens’ business (killing boomerangs, shields). In addition, the museum has now secured the Matson Collection of local items, and we were shown how a shell progresses to a fish hook in simple steps.

Final word must go to Burnum Burnum, whose picture was on the wall in this section. “To the Queen of England - you can keep your country it’s too bloody cold”.

CREST HOTEL

This is a very big room, spacious renovated premises with good service and well-priced mains. Located in the Southgate Shopping Centre.

MUSIC

Get some real history - "West of the Wall" by Toni Fisher (1962).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVeG-MllgXI

Graham L (185)

TOFS TRIP 888

Wednesday 27 May 2026

The GreenWay Walk

(Organised by TOFS WW Sub-group)

TOFS [23]: JP (27), Daryl H (65), Terry O’H (147), Phil G (154), Rex M (179), Graham L (185), Jim McD (209), Ron O’H (231), Stuart P (264), Peter M (288), Peter O (348), John O (357), Gary H (366), Jeffery H (373), Lyle W (386), Bill R (389), Rob E (431), Ron B (446), Jason F (464), David C (467), Les H (469), Ron C (470), Frank W (475).

Not for the first time, the forecasts were wrong.

Not even the presence of the creator of ‘Rainman’, or his taunts, could influence the gods to dampen what turned out to be a fabulous very-late-Autumn day for a TOFS walk. 

As the mist cleared, the blue sky was interrupted only by an occasional small fluffy white cumulus drifting lazily overhead.

So it was a relaxed mood all around as we boarded the 412. The driver obviously knew the way and wasted no time, despite the seemingly backstreet route and infernal roundabouts and speed bumps, in delivering us to Earlwood.

The new curved bridge over the Cook’s River was chosen as the forum for the first briefing of the day. Some details about the history of the river were aired – the early exploration, the timber industries, the farms, orchards and market gardens, and industries that sprang up along the river.

A significant happening in 1841 was the opening of a 5 storey, sandstone sugar works beside the Cook’s River at Canterbury by Australian Sugar Company. The mill processed sugar cane that had been imported from the Philippines.

Tensions between the original owners ( a couple of well-to-do lads from the UK), led to the transformation of the business on 1 January 1855 into Colonial Sugar Refining  Company, and the closing of the works when operations were transferred to Chippendale.

After lying vacant for years, the building was bought by an engineering firm in 1880, which unfortunately went bankrupt before a proposed nearby railway, from which the firm hoped to benefit, actually came along.

Later, it was a butter factory, a bacon producer, and from 1908 to 1950 was the home of J. C. Hutton, smallgoods manufacturer.

Again a long period of dormancy followed until the purchase of the property in 1983 by Nick Scali.

After a lengthy battle, the building was eventually converted into a residential complex of 39 Apartments which opened in 20003.

A Heritage Order recognises The Sugar Mill as the first major industrial building in Australia, as well as being the founding home of one of Australia’s biggest Companies, CSR Ltd.

We breezed past the starting point of the GreenWay, because apart from a vertical stylised map of its route, there was no other distinguishing feature.

The GreenWay is a shared pedestrian/cycleway of about 6 km from Cook’s River across the inner west suburbs to Iron Cove at Balmain.

The northern section of GreenWay has existed for many years, basically flanking the Hawthorne as far south as Marion St, Leichhardt.

It took years of negotiating and community work for the remainder of the GreenWay to come to reality, and it opened in December 2025.

The objective was for the pathway to follow a route beside the Dulwich Hill Light Rail, and it generally does that. For the first 1 km or so north from Cook’s River, and in some other areas, the pathway is forced to use residential streets.

Along the purpose-built sections, there is a series of 8 artworks, each of which recognises aspects of local fauna and flora, and industries that operated along the rail corridor, as well as the Rozelle goods line itself.

The final commentary was under the main western railway lines as they cross Long Cove Creek (now known as Hawthorne Canal) adjacent to Lewisham Station.

A point of major interest here was the retention of a span of Whipple trusses as a historical relic.

Whipple trusses were American-designed iron bridge sections, with pin-jointed trusses and diagonals that cross two structural bays, making them stronger and especially suitable for spanning long distances.

Original the two tracks of the main western line (opened in 1855) were carried for about 270 feet across the creek on a viaduct supported by a series of 8 sandstone arches. With some extensive repairs in the early 1860’s, the viaduct was considered fit for service until 1886 when it was decided to replace it. 

A series of 3 Whipple trusses of 90 feet each was designed for each railway track, and were constructed on wooden supports beside the viaduct, and bore the train traffic while the half of the viaduct on that side was demolished. The Whipple truss assembly was then slid into place on top of two strategically placed brick pillars.

The procedure was then repeated on the other mainline track.

Those Whipple trusses became fatigued after 107 years of heavy use and were replaced by other styles of trusses in 1993.

Over its lifetime, the main western line has been expanded from 2 to 4 and then to 6 tracks, and the viewing position underneath from the GreenWay gives a rare comparison of truss design as used in Sydney over that time.

After our Group Photo, we made our way to Taverners Hill Light Rail and again relaxed on our trip back to lunch.

Thanks to all for honouring your booking for this trip, on a day that some pundits were predicting would be a washout.

Regards,

Rex M

Tour Leader

PS  At the risk of overstepping my own mark as regards Tour Reports, may I now respond to a couple of most welcome questions, which caught me unprepared earlier? 

1) Why didn’t the Canterbury Sugar Mill process cane from Queensland?

Reply: Prior to the mill becoming operative, sugar was imported into Sydney from Java, Mauritius and the Philippines.

Attempts were made to grow sugar at Port Macquarie and at Point Clare from the early 1830’s, but produced only small amounts of cane.

It was not until the 1860’s that commercially-viable cultivation of sugar cane occurred in northern NSW and in Queensland.

Importing of sugar cane from the Philippines was therefore necessary during the 1840’s/1850’s to feed the Canterbury mill.

2) Why is the new bridge over Cook’s River curved?

Reply: Engineers say a lot of things – stress and force distribution (including traffic and wind), hydraulics and water flow (assists in reducing debris build up around the piles), safety and speed (slows down bicycles). You guess your own answer.

3) For a new bridge (opened in December 2025) it looks rusty.

Reply: “CORTEN steel is a durable alloy that naturally develops a protective rust-like patina when exposed to the elements. This aesthetic maintenance-free barrier stops deep corrosion. Despite its rusted appearance, it possesses twice the tensile strength of standard mild steel”.

Yes, I now realise that I have seen it as garden edging and as cladding on some buildings.

TOFS TRIP 885

Thursday 14th May 2026

Western Sydney International Airport

(Organised by TOFS NM)  

TOFS: (19) Mike M (9), JP (27), Ken H (48), Terry O (147), Peter M (155) Graham L (185), Charles H (203), Ron O (231), David M (271), Peter McK (288), Peter O (348), John O (357), Gary H (366), Jeffrey H (373), Bill R (389), Denis P (430), Bob L (468), David C (467) Peter L (479).

The weather forecast said showers, but we were fortunate to have a good day for our visit to the WSI Experience Centre.  Our last TOF’s visit was in June 2023.  We set off from Penrith Station and special thanks to Ken, Charles, Denis and David C, for providing transport.  

On arrival we had the official cap presentation to Bob L (468) and gave him a hearty TOFS welcome.

We were met by our host Anneliese, and she invited us to have a brief look outside, towards the terminal building, the partly completed administration block, and the large cargo warehouse.

A pleasant surprise was to see a family of kangaroos hopping around in the grassland outside the airport fence.

We then moved inside for what we had been told would be a “self- guided” tour, however, our host was happy to do a presentation using computer images and providing lots of facts and figures.  She was also able to answer most of the questions posed by our group.

Firstly, a few facts about Nancy- Bird Walton Airport.  Due to open to passenger flights on 26th October 2026, Air New Zealand will be the first to operate, followed by Singapore Airlines in November 2026.

We were told that cargo will commence in July 2026, with three companies including Qantas Cargo committed to this.

Initially the terminal will be geared up for ten million passengers annually, this number rising to eighty million by the year 2062.  By that time there will be a second runway in operation.  For comparison, Sydney Airport had 42 million passengers last year, and Heathrow had 84 million.

WSI will be a 24-hour operation with no curfew.  Another interesting fact we learned was that there will be no air-traffic control on site, this will be operated from Eastern Creek.

A second passenger terminal is due for completion in 2035.

Transport: the M12 motorway link opened in March 2026, however, the Metro has been delayed and will not be ready for the airport opening.  It is expected that this will be open in late 2027.  The Metro will run from the airport to the rail link at St. Marys. 

It was a worthwhile visit, and we thanked our host before leaving.  We enlisted a visitor to take the group photo before we left for lunch at the Peachtree Hotel in Penrith.  Large meals of course but enjoyable.

Next NM Group outing: Campbelltown on 11th JUNE 2026.

David M (271)

TOFS TRIP REPORT 884

Tuesday 12 May 2026

John & Linda Wareham Partners Day

(Organised by TOFS CC)

TOFS (18) &PARTNERS (15):  Paul E 380(Sharon), Peter B 32(Rhonda), Terry O’H 147(Julie), Ron O’H 321,  John P 27, Bob S 444(Anne), Robert E 431(Chris), Lyle W 386(Vicki), Jim McD209(Colleen), Stuart P 264,  Frank W 475(Linda),  Ron B 446(Kay), Phil G 154(Marie), Peter M 480(Beverly), Andrew M 16(Barbara), Les H 469,  Hal M 6(Beverly),  Linda W 1, Bill W 1, Chris G 432(Di).

After picking up the Sydney contingent from the Station, due to the train timetable we arrived a bit earlier than the booked time. We settled in and did a bit of table setting for the others when they arrived.

After meeting up with everybody and waiting for them to settle in, I welcomed everyone to the Partners Day, especially all the ladies who made the effort to attend and our special guests Linda W 1 and Bill W 1.

Everybody seemed to enjoy the meals and drinks on the day and the opportunity for the ladies to catch up from last year.

I had the opportunity to have a productive chat with Stuart about some of the issues that have come up recently. Tour Organisers having to put holding deposits on their credit card at different venues and some upfront payments.

We also discussed venues regarding Future Partners Days that can handle big groups close to transport hubs. The Central Coast is limited in this area, and I suggested that it could be rotated around.

It was a good long lunch with the Sydney group catching the 4PM train back to Sydney.

Peter B  JP 32

17 May 2026.

TOFS TRIP 881

Friday 24th Apr 2026

Croker Oars, Oxley Island

(Organised by TOFS MC)

TOFS (20): Malc S (359), Dave T (351), Norm MS (307), Albert K (403), Ian C (376), Garry S (322), Kevin H (324), Alan H (462), Alan J (416), Jim F (249), Ray M (229), Peter W (326), Peter W (354), Alan M (288), Bill L (367), Peter B (399), Alan E (311), Will L (282), Kit C (415), Peter T (352).

Twenty members set sail for Croker Oars at Oxley Island at 9am on Friday morning 24th April on the Halliday Shores Express with our usual driver, Dave T (351), at the wheel.

Following a morning tea stop at Taree Service Centre, our group arrived at the company’s premises in Cowan’s Lane, Oxley Island, at around 10am.  Guests were welcomed by several friendly dogs and a very friendly pig named Chrissie (pictured), but more importantly, by Administration Officer, Mandy Hennessey (pictured in centre of group photo), but it wasn’t long before our host, proprietor Darren Croker arrived on the scene.

The tour of the vast factory complex, a hidden gem of the Manning Valley, took all the two hours available.  Darren took the group through the various stages of manufacture of their high-quality sculling, rowing and surf oars (pictured) in a very knowledgeable and eloquent manner.  Full information about the company and its products can be found at www.crokeroars.com.

On completion of the tour around 12noon, the crew set out for the short bus run to the Old Bar Tavern in Saltwater Road for lunch. Being a Friday, the tavern was buzzing with activity.  Members quickly made their choices from the menu and were able to partake in some liquid amber as the meals were being prepared.  The journey home was uneventful, with some observed to be nodding off as an expression of their appreciation for another magnificent TOFS outing.

Thanks to Alan J (416) for organising the venue, Malc S (359) for facilitating attendance, Norm MS (307) for financial services, Dave T (351) for getting the team there and back safely, and particularly to Darren Croker for a brilliant factory tour.

Ian C (376) Mid Coast Tour Contributor

TOFS TRIP 882 

Tuesday 28 April 2026

Guided Tour of Erskineville and Newtown by historian Elliot Lindsay

Attendees (16): JP (27), Phil G (154), Graham L (185), Jim Mc (209), Ron O’H (231), Ray N (235),  Kenn W (243), Bill H (278), Keith R (283), Frank C (375), Rob E (431), Ron B (446), Les H (469), Frank W (475), Rob C (478), Gino V (481).  

We all met our tour guide Elliot Lindsay on the Erskineville rail overpass on a fine and sunny morning. A lot of us remembered Elliot from the fantastic tour “Murders most foul” we did with him in May 2024. 

     Elliot commenced his tour in explaining the history of the suburb of Erskineville, how it was founded and the early settlers in the suburb and the building of the railway station. We headed off wandering along streets sited with terrace houses and surprisingly some free-standing homes. We stopped outside an old terrace with a tragic history.  Apparently, the occupants were tasked with looking after children while the mothers worked.  Sometimes this would be over a period of days.  When the mother returned to pick up her child she found the house deserted. Nobody knew where the occupants had gone.  Sometime later the back yard was dug up to discover small bones buried in the garden.  The occupants had smothered the children and buried them.  The police discovered that the couple had performed this horrendous task previously. They were prosecuted, the man being hanged and because women couldn’t be hanged in this era she was sentenced to life imprisonment. 

          As we wandered the streets, we were surprised by the number of beautiful parks in the district scattered amongst some stately homes. Elliot led us to the Macdonaldtown railway station. This is the ONLY building bearing the name Macdonaldtown in the entire district. The rest of the area is called Erskineville.  

        When we reached King St. Newtown, we stood opposite the building no. 67 which was the site of the Newtown Siege. In 1906 a man William Tanna who lived in a hut behind the main house demanded money from the owner for services rendered. When this was refused the man barricaded himself in the cottage. The police were summoned. When a constable Wallace arrived, he demanded Tanner give himself up, but he was met with a barrage of bullets bringing him to the floor. He subsequently died from the wounds. A huge funeral was held for the constable completely blocking King St.

          From here we walked to the old Camperdown cemetery founded in 1848 on Church st. Newtown which is heritage listed.  Here we found many old gravestones marking the resting place of many dignitaries from days gone by some being Thomas Mitchell, the first colony surveyor, and Charles Windeyer the first mayor of the colony. An interesting grave is that of Eliza Donnithorne, a jilted bride who stood up at the altar. She went on to never remove her wedding dress. It is said her story was the background to the Charles Dickens novel “Great Expectations”

        We had been exploring the district for about 2 hours when it was decided to head for the Coopers Hotel on King St. a short walk from the cemetery. We were greeted by the hotels “Rainbow Colours” emphasizing the hotels main clientele. Here we had a choice of nine meals for a sum of $14. A great deal.  The food was voted excellent by all the guys.  Heading home was simple with a bus stop to the city right at the door.

           Look forward to catching up with all the guys on another great tour. 

             Cheers for now

             Kenn Whittaker (243)  TOFS  SS Group Tour Organiser