Category Blog

There is a proposal by the State Government to raise the wall of Warragamba dam by 14 metres which will flood a significant area of land upstream. Recent investigations with the Aboriginal elders in that area have uncovered several important cultural sites. At the time of the first inundations of Burragorang valley in the 1950s few archaeological studies were made and their stories are now lost to us. One of the important Creation stories is that of the epic battle between the   Serpent Gurangatch and the Quoll Mirragan which resulted in the creation of the Wollondilly, Cox and Guineacor Rivers, the Whambeyan and Jenolan Caves.  Most of the sites described in this story have disappeared under the waters of lake Burragorang. Only two remain and need to be protected and further researched...

Every year since 1977 International Museum Day is organised worldwide around May 18. In 2016, the event will celebrate the theme Museums and Cultural Landscapes. This theme seems appropriate as the threats to our cultural landscapes increase in the face of increasing urbanisation. Perhaps it is time to take a look at some of the museums and historic places which are caring for our culture.

Belgenny Farm on Elizabeth Macarthur Avenue originated as a model farm established by John and Elizabeth Macarthur and their sons to provide an example to the early settlers in the Camden district. It retains many of the original buildings and homestead and is used for events and weddings.
www.belgennyfarm.com.au/

Camden Museum was established in 1957 by the local community which has continued to value...

The new exhibition at the Wollondilly Heritage centre is “HER WAR”. This has been produced in conjunction with the research by Betty Villy for her book “Red Poppies and the White Waratah; heroines from Wollondilly in the Great War.”

The exhibition uses objects from the collection to illustrate the patriotism of local women in the lead up to the Great War. From early in childhood children were encouraged to support the British Empire in their books and toys which featured English scenes and Colonial armies. A collection of letters from 1918-1919 written to a local soldier and brought back by him reveal the changes as the war ground on...

From information transcribed from an original diary in Yerranderie archives collected by Val Lheude and donated to the Wollondilly Heritage Centre at The Oaks

Sapper Albert E Nurse

Albert Nurse gave his address as ‘Tonalli, Mill Street, Carlton, Sydney.

He left Sydney 26/6/15 at 5pm by the “Berrima” arrived Melbourne 27/6/1915 leaving again 30/6/15 in calm weather. He arrived at Suez 25/7/15 then took train to Cairo and marched to camp at Heliopolis on August 5th he joined the 4th Field Engineers attached to the 5th Brigade and commented “Field Engineers better than Infantry” – he also said that his book was taken away in a black kit bag so he will have to write from memory.

They had one month training before leaving for Alexandria on the Knight Templar arriving on Lemnos Islan...

It is now over 50 years since the wild rivers of the Burragorang Valleys were captured and tamed. The Warragamba dam was built to provide the growing city of Sydney with a reliable source of water following sporadic series of droughts. The Oaks Historical Society holds many stories, archives, photographs and objects relating to the people who called this beautiful area home. The current exhibition at the Wollondilly Heritage Centre and Museum at The Oaks features the dispossession of these families, beginning with the Aboriginal families. Their attempts to keep some of their traditional lands in the face of increasing demand from European settlers has been documented in such Books as ‘Sacred Waters” by Dianne Johnson and “From Invasion to Embassy” by Heather Goodall...