Heritage Festival 2013 – Community Milestones.

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Localnotes

The Heritage Festival 2013 – Community Milestones has been a huge success with over 400 people attending events in Annandale, Balmain and Leichhardt. Opening on the 18th April FILEF ( Federation of Migrant Workers and families ) launched their exhibition with 150 attendees. Speeches from Franca Arena, Frank Pennuci, and Mayor Darcy Byrne were well received and the 40th Anniversary celebrations combined with the retrospective exhibition gave historians, students and the wider community much to learn, reflect and embrace around the milestones of this socially and politically active community group. FILEF welcomes all who are interested in Italian language, culture and social issues. Filef formed in 1972 Its key objective is to promote an Australia that recognizes the value of multicultural origins and cultures of all Australians. The exhibition displays demonstration marches in 1970s and 1980s for Women’s rights, workers rights, Migrant and Indigenous rights. Some of their achievements include successfully launching the Italian Language being integrated into the Public School system across Australia. Their current program is aimed at primary school children (K-Yr 6) Italian-Australians or with a basic understanding of Italian, to activate and develop their language skills in Italian. The exhibition also contained photographs publications, film and plays. The great news is that Leichhardt Library will be inheriting all of the FILEF material to be made available to future generations. This collection will be held in the Balmain Library archives and can be viewed by appointment. 150 historic images will also be made available online through the Library Online catalogue.

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Some of the posters on the main activities of FILEF over the last 40 years including “Know your Rights”, Migrants Rights, Italian Language Vacation programmer and Focus on the environment and Migration Issues.

Historian Gianfranco Cresciani and author of “Trieste Goes To Australia” (2011) ” The Italians of Australia” (2003) “ Transfield the First 50 years” (2006 ) Is currently undertaking writing a comprehensive historical account of 40 years of FILEF. Keep posted for the release.

Looking for Ludwig in Leichhardt

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Localnotes

BY Adra Anthoney

In 1848 German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt set out from the Darling Downs in southern Queensland bound for the Swan River settlement in Western Australia, and was never seen again. It remains one of Australia’s most enduring unsolved mysterious, and now there is a competition to commemorate Ludwig’s life. Ludwig is the subject of a Leichhardt and Annandale photo competition. Spanning 25 weeks, a cut-out figure of the famous 19th century explorer has been ‘hidden’ in a different local business each week. To enter, the public is encouraged to seek out the image and post or “selfie” with him on the Leichhardt and Annandale Business Chamber’s Facebook page. Anitra Morgana, Executive Officer of the Leichhardt and Annandale Business Chamber, said the event was formed to raise community awareness about Ludwig Leichhardt.

“To celebrate the bicentenary year of Ludwig Leichhardt’s birth, and toraise awareness of how Leichhardtgot its name, the competition was created as a way of involving the community and local businesses in a fun activity in the lead-up to the 27th annual Norton Street Italian Festa in October,” she said. Last week’s winner, Jacqueline Van Goeverdun, “found” Ludwig at Grind Expresso Bar on Norton St, and won a $40 gift voucher sponsored by the café. “I think it was a great idea to help promote the area and the places of business in it,” said Salvatore Crino, manager of event sponsor, Grind Café. “We had some people coming in [the café] and saying, ‘What’s this Ludwig competition?’ They obviously had their iPhones and took photos. “We initially put [the cut-out] where the posters were so you couldn’t really see it – it was sort of camouflaged in there but the people found it. We moved it generallyaround the place.” The Ludwig cut-out has since moved to a new ‘hiding’ place and two $100 shopping vouchers are up for grabs this week. The clue provided is “Ludwig is getting into the community spirit in #Leichhardt’s piazza del mercato”.

WW1 and WW2

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Localnotes

Recognition of War Memorial – Callan Park

April 18, 2013

Friends of Callan Park (FOCP) want to see the unique ‘Harbour Bridge’ War Memorial at Callan Park conserved and protected.

The memorial is a replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and was completed in 1931, the year before the actual Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened.

It was unveiled by the Governor of NSW, Sir Philip Game, on 4 August 1931 on the Veterans site.

The memorial is currently located in front of Repat B Ward on the southern side of the Waterfront Oval.

Douglas Grant, an Indigenous WW1 veteran, designed the memorial and constructed it with the help

Photo: J Ridding, 2007

of other veterans residing in the Repatriation wards at Callan Park. A number of wards were built along the foreshore specifically for war veterans.

“Friends of Callan Park have been active in seeking the care, restoration and protection of this wonderful memorial to our ex-service personnel. We have arranged for temporary protection of the memorial but are seeking assistance from Council to ensure the appropriate ongoing recognition and protection of the memorial.” according to the Acting President of FOCP, John Stamolis.

Many of the buildings in this part of Callan Park housed repatriation soldiers, men who returned from war suffering from shell shock – often described as chronic nerve cases.

Douglas Grant (of the 13th Battalion, like W. T. Shirley who built the Sphinx memorial at Turramurra) lived at Callan Park and built a replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a War Memorial and, with other patients of B Ward, erected the Memorial.

On 4 August 1931, the 17th anniversary of the beginning of the war, the Governor, Sir Philip Game, unveiled the memorial. He declared it was a symbol of unity and hoped it would stand for years ‘as an inspiration to you all to do what you did during the four years of the war, and have been doing ever since – sticking it out in the good old Australian and British way’. Patients applauded and the Governor planted a wattle.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 August 1931 – Douglas Grant second right

Douglas Grant was a man of Aboriginal parentage and white Australian upbringing who joined the AIF and became a prisoner at Bullecourt. After the war he worked as a labourer at Lithgow and was secretary of the loc

al RSL. Douglas Grant drank heavily and the cottages at Callan Park were a sanctuary for he and the other men of the Lost Legion.

He was bitter about the fate of returned soldiers and Aborigines and wrote about “A Broken Pledge”.

Extract from Sacred Places, War Memorials in the Australian Landscape, K. S. Inglis assisted by Jan Brazier, Miegunyah Press at Melbourne University Press, 1998, p243

World War 1 and World War 2 Links

Register of War Memorials in NSW

Australian War Memorial

Terricks Hospital – Balmian Road 1932 -1951

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Localnotes

Does anyone have family who were born a the Terricks hospital roughly located at 483 Balmain Road from 1932 – 1951. Prior to this it was located at 151 (now 69) Cecily Street Leichhardt.
Dr Barry of Balmain who resied at 449 Darling Street Balmain and Nurse Constance delivered many babies between 1921-1951. Do you hav eany family phortographs that show the Terricks Hospital.

Talk – Migrants for Aboriginal Rights : Solidarity with Refugees

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Localnotes

Don’t forget to book in for this Event this Thursday 16th May 6:00pm

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One major area of activism has been support for Aboriginal rights. It included the formation of a coalition in 1988, promoted by FILEF and involving several progressive organizations from other Ethnic Groups, to coincide with celebrations of the Bicentenary, or rather Invasion Day, as the Aborigines call it.

Another big area to which FILEF directs its commitment is the issue of migrants, of any kind, but especially, in more recent times, of asylum seekers, escaping from situations of crisis and danger, mostly caused by the very nations who now want to reject them back. Among our initiatives, public meetings accompanied by publications and photo exhibitions.

The presentation will include screening of Fabio Cavadini’s Film Protected (1975) about Palm Island and addresses by Aboriginal representatives.

Thursday 16 May
6:00pm
Leichhardt Library
23 Norton Street, Italian Forum, Piazza Level, Leichhardt
Free Event
Bookings required – 9367 9338 or localhistory@lmc.nsw.gov.au

local notes

Community History and Heritage of the Inner West

Monthly Archives: May 2013