Rather than the infantrymen that made up the vast bulk of Darebin’s volunteers, “Ken” Christian was unusual in that he was one of just two locals from Northcote (the other William George Vincent Williams, the first Australian to be killed in World War One) to have served at sea, in his case with the British […]
Tag: Fairfield
World War 1 Casualty : William McCarthy Braithwaite (Preston)
Our image : The Braithwaite family, Colonel William Braithwaite, (wearing cap at rear), William junior on right with extended family and motor car, a 30 h.p. Hotchkiss imported from France, circa 1911. Braithwaite senior took a keen interest in new invention of the time. the motor car, competing along with another local, the nurseryman James […]
WW1 Casualty : Maurice Vincent Barry (Northcote)
Strangely by today’s standards, not a lot of the deaths of servicemen were reported in the Family Notices section of either the Melbourne dailies or the Preston Leader. One notable exception was Maurice “Mickey” Barry, whose sorrowful mother was still placing In Memoriam notices in The Leader some ten or twelve years after her son’s […]
WW1 Casualty : Lindsay Thomas Adams (Alphington)
When he volunteered in early March, 1915 from Alphington, the 19-year-old Lindsay Thomas Adams was one of just handful from the district listed as a student, in his case, Teaching at Melbourne University after completing his Matriculation at Scotch College. His military career was also somewhat unique in that he was one who died after […]
Darebin’s Great War
Today’s City of Darebin encompasses Northcote, Preston, Thornbury, Reservoir, Fairfield and Alphington, the latter two districts added to the original City of Northcote since the Great War. Extensive research since around 2003-4 has identified around 850 servicemen (add two women) closely associated with Darebin that gave their lives in service of their country during the […]
Criminal gangs
During the First World War (1914-1918) Northcote was plagued by a number of street gangs. These gangs were known as ‘Pushes’ and possessed unusual names such as the Blue Anchor Push, the Imperial Push and the Fairfield Park Push. The activities of these gangs ranged considerably, from mild pranks such as spraying passersby through to […]
After the Deluge Project
Introduction In December 2003 the City of Darebin was hit by the “worst storm in 100 years”. While the whole of metropolitan Melbourne was affected, areas within Darebin were the worst hit with people’s homes, schools and businesses, severely damaged and even devastated by flooding. Residents described the Fairfield shopping strip in particular as […]
Rainbow Lorikeet
The rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is found throughout eastern Australia, from Cape York to Tasmania and from Kangaroo Island to Eyre Peninsula. It has also been introduced into to Western Australia. The rainbow lorikeet is also found through New Guinea and South Eastern Pacific Islands. The rainbow lorikeet is common in Darebin and can be […]