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 […]

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Growing up in Preston

The following article was contributed following the first reminiscences session held at Watsonia library April 2008. It is John’s reminiscences about growing up in Preston. John was born at the Bethesda Hospital in Richmond, 17.12.1936. His family took him home to 15 Dean St, East Preston. John has memories of living in Dean St from […]

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Bruce Kingsbury (1918 – 1942)

Bruce Kingsbury was born in Armadale in 1918.  After working interstate for a while he joined his fathers real estate business in Northcote.   Kingsbury lived in Gilbert Road in West Preston. When the World War II broke out Kingsbury quickly enlisted.   Sent to Palestine Kingsbury saw action in both Egypt and Syria. In 1942, Kingsbury’s […]

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The Whalley brothers

The local Leader newspapers were established in 1888, the Preston and Northcote editions being identical except for the masthead. At the outbreak of the war, the papers were published by the Whalley brothers, (John Stott and Richard James Whalley) and local readers were uniquely fortunate that the proprietors were touring Europe when war was declared.    […]

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Star Theatre, Preston

Preston’s first picture venue, the Star Theatre on the south-eastern corner of High and Gower Streets opened on September 28, 1922, the evening of the Show Day holiday. The audience was entertained by one of the cinema swashbuckling sensations of the day, “The Mark of Zorro” starring Douglas Fairbanks, Marguerite De Le Motte and Noah […]

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