The Narellan Gayline Drive-In Movie Theatre in Camden was a defining feature of the local 1960s-1980s culture, offering a relaxed, family-friendly movie experience. The drive-in's success peaked in the early 1970s but eventually closed in 1990 due to changing lifestyles and real estate development. It provided a memorable experience for many local residents, offering a nostalgic look back at a bygone era.
Category: Camden Story
Camden Art Prize, a new exhibition at the Alan Baker Art Gallery celebrates a local institution
The Camden Art Prize was initiated in 1975 as an acquisitive art prize aiming to create a collection. This collection now includes over 200 artworks and has been on display at the Alan Baker Art Gallery. The prize has had many notable judges and dignitaries present at its exhibitions. Some of the winning works are on display in a new exhibition at the gallery.
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Volunteer Expo, an exceptional networking event
The Volunteer Expo at Julia Reserve Community Centre, Oran Park, NSW, showcased local community organizations during National Volunteer Week. The event aimed to promote volunteering and featured 36 organizations. The expo provided networking opportunities and highlighted the importance of social capital and storytelling in building community resilience. The Camden Council played a vital role in organizing the successful event.
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Yearning, Longing and The Remaking of Camden’s Identity: the myths and reality of ‘a country town idyll’.
This article discusses the concept of a "country town idyll" in Camden, an idealised version of a country town from an imagined past that uses history to construct imagery based on Camden's heritage buildings and other material fabrics. The paper delves into the origins of the idyll, examines its development, and investigates its validity in its contemporary context. It shows how its supporters have used history as a community asset to remake Camden's identity and explore how the 'country town idyll' has been used variously as a political weapon, a marketing tool, and a tourist promotion.
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Camden, the making and re-making of familiar places
This presentation at the WEA-RAHS Seminar Series on 28 October 2009 at History House, Sydney, explores the conflict between urban expansion and the desire to preserve Camden's identity as a country town. It delves into the tension between nostalgic ideals and the reality of modern development in the area.
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Who were the Camden Chinese market gardeners, a new book reveals the story
The book "A History of Camden Chinese Market Gardeners 1899-1993" edited by Ian Willis & Julie Wrigley tells the story of Chinese market gardeners in Camden. They faced challenges such as the White Australia Policy and local ostracism but demonstrated resilience. The book sheds light on their history and is recommended for those interested in local studies and the Chinese diaspora.
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Community Partnerships: Are they all that they are cracked up to be?
In 2007, Peter Scrivener reported on the community partnership between the Camden Historical Society and Camden Council, highlighting the amicable relationship and its intended outcomes. This serves as the basis for scholarly work on community partnerships. The partners' mutual benefits, clear objectives, and common goals have made the partnership successful. Informal and formal linkages and evaluations ensure its continued success.
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Agave on Cawdor Road, a part of local folklore
The agave plants near Cawdor Road, Camden, have become part of local folklore, with stories spanning murder, historical colonial gardens, and Indigenous conflict. These slow-growing succulents have sparked controversy and conjecture, with their true history and significance remaining a mystery. Despite attempts to uncover the truth, the agave's legend endures across generations.
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Types of Mid-Century Modernist Housing in Camden
This blog post discusses the types mid-century houses of the Camden NSW area that were built as part of the economic growth and development created by the Burragorang coalfields. These houses were built between the Second World War and the early 1970s, have a variety of residential architectural styles are located south of the town centre, in Elderslie and at Narellan.
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An embroidered silk postcard for Millie at Christmas 1916
A postcard from Frederick for sister Millie During the First World War, local soldier Frederick Kelloway sent his sister, Millie, an embroidered silk postcard to celebrate Christmas and New Year at home in 1916. The front of the embroidered silk postcard that Frederick Kelloway sent his sister Millie in 1916. (KCordina 2023) Millie’s great-granddaughter Kellee… Continue reading An embroidered silk postcard for Millie at Christmas 1916
