The following was written by Kevin Patterson following an interview and photo essay Kevin conducted with Michael in July 2010 Michael Gouralnik has been a shoe and bag repairer in Greensborough for 22 years. Michael, a former electrical civil engineer, arrived in Australia from the Ukraine in 1988, 2 years after the Chenobal disaster which […]
Tag: Reminiscences
Heather Jane Mann of Yan Yean
At She Oak Hill we lived a very basic life. There was no electricity in those days, but kerosene lamps. In the kitchen a big black urn sat on the stove with hot water for cups of tea or washing dishes. The water had to be carried by bucket from the corrugated iron tank in […]
Georgio De Nola – Merri Creek at Reservoir
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Giorgio De Nola , who lived near the Merri Creek in Anstey Avenue Reservoir in his youth. The interviewer is Ruth Shiel […]
Frank Cox – Merri Creek at Coburg
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Frank Cox who, as a Coburg Councillor for many years, had an influence on the improvements on the Creek. The interviewer is […]
Bill Berry – Merri Creek at Thornbury
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Bill Berry who lived in Lewis Street Thornbury as a boy. The interviewer is Des Shiel. The date is 5 February 2013. […]
Loris Macleod – Merri Creek at West Preston
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Loris Macleod who lived by the Merri Creek in her youth in Goodwin Street West Preston. The interviewer is Ruth Shiel. The […]
John Jordan – Merri Creek at North Coburg
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with John Jordan, who has lived near the Merri Creek in Bakers Road North Coburg since boyhood. The interviewer is Des Shiel. The […]
Joe Garita – Market Gardener on Merri Creek
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Joe Garita who worked his market garden beside the Merri Creek in Harding Street Coburg for many years. Also contributing is […]
Martha Wike – Local Historian
Martha Wike was a very proud “Australian by Choice”. Here her daughter Amanda pays tribute to this Shire of Nillumbik local historian and community volunteer who recently passed away. Martha was born in Cairo, Egypt with Greek nationality. In My Mother’s Words; “I arrived at Tullamarine airport, on a Saturday morning with my parents when […]
Sydney Patterson – Stories from his life
Sydney Patterson was born in 1938 in Sydney. Sydney left Sydney in 1944 after his fathers, a full time sailor ship was hit by a suicide plane, 67 sailors died and his father was severely injured. His father was the shipped off to Melbourne for 3-4 years to recover from his injuries in the Austin […]