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GRAND YEARS.
Human interest and entertaining tales of yesteryear with respected journalist Frank Morris
16 April 25
OZ Spots: 1980s - “Going, going …”
Frankly, my dear, there’s very little difference! The poster, above, was used for the video launch of Gone With The Wind in 1979. It’s the original poster of 1939, which introduced the cinema release of GWTW; it fetched a record $3500 at auction in Los Angeles. Howard Johns, a collector, has described ...
09 April 25
The Great War: Aussie sniper was on the ball!
Billy Sing was one of the most feared snipers at Gallipoli Billy Sing was a celebrated man-hunter. When put into the battlefield of Gallipoli, he was one the most feared snipers of this campaign. He had over 200 ‘kills’ and that made Sing, a Light Horseman from Queensland, a dangerous man. Sing, ...
13 March 25
Clipper Days: Men at large on top of the world!
Four men were tugging at the topsail masthead of an 1883 clipper. They were doing their job. The ship was travelling north, following the sun. All sails are at the ready. The men looked around them; they felt on top of the world. The clipper started to rock and sway. The ...
12 February 25
Out of this vortex … Waltzing Matilda!
The last load of wool leaves the property. It was another period of mayhem It was the worst of times. Australia was caught up in the depression of the early 1890s, the scar of which had contributed directly to the origins of a political labour movement and Federation. By the 1880s, Australia was ...
12 February 25
World ‘firsts’ – The Surf Newspaper
The Surf was produced at Bondi, Sydney, on December 1, 1917. It was the “world’s first surfing newspaper”. The editor was Con Drew. After 20 issues, it folded on April 27, 1918. At the time, a spokesperson was asked, “why did it close”. The spokesperson replied: “Because of the war.” ...
08 January 25
Fact of Life: Beach Umbrellas
In Beach Umbrellas, Nancy Kilgour painted the picture with a lot of glee. She found it to be characteristically Australian and that she uses the beach both as an Australian image and to explore her interest in colour. Kilgour uses, especially in the purple shadows, cast on the sea. The ...
08 January 25
Oz Spots: A bagful of goodies!
Betty Friedan set up a modern day movement for women everywhere! “Ageing didn’t really interest me because I was not interested in yucky age. It’s dull and boring.” These words come from the lips of Betty Friedan whose book, The Feminine Mystique in 1963, launched the modern women’s movement in America. In no ...
11 December 24
Whale crusaders: A golden moment!
The people who live in Hervey Bay have a birds eye view of the state’s whale crusaders, the Humpback Heroes, at play. That’s why whale-watching has caught on with he dedicated and passionate group of individuals who celebrate these giants of the deep. (Photo: Perfect Queensland.) Stay awake, stay alert, stay ...
11 December 24
Countdown 50 years on - Good on you Molly!
Ian Molly Meldrum’s Countdown 50 On is a program filled with loads of live interviews and archival footage that take you back to a far-away time. ‘Molly’ Meldrum, seemingly, has become part of television history. Countdown’s started in 1974. Let’s go back to an article I wrote in 1987: Ian ‘Molly” Meldrum, ...
