The Cowpastures gentry, a self-proclaimed English aristocracy, resided on expansive estates while engaging in business and politics across the British Empire. By the late 1820s, they had transformed the landscape to resemble the English countryside. Various types of people, including convicts and freemen, also inhabited the area.
Category: Lifestyle
Making Camden History
Making Camden History tells the story of how the history of the Camden District has been written from the 19th century. It is the history of the history of the local area.
Local girls go to London
In the mid-20th century it was not unusual for local Camden women to travel overseas by ship. They were part of an exodus seeking adventure and new horizons. They wanted to see the world and they did. The story of one of these young women, Shirley Dunk and her best friend Beth Jackman, has been told in a recently published article in Anglica by the University of Warsaw.
The West Journal
A new lifestyle magazine, The West Journal, has appeared in the local area and makes an interesting addition to the media landscape.
Outhouse at 80 John Street causes a fuss
In the backyard of an historic cottage at 80 John Street there is a funny little dunny that dates from the 1890s. In 2011 it created a great deal of fuss when there was a proposal for a two-storey commercial development at the rear of the cottage site and the demolition of the dunny for parking.
‘Face to Face’, a new exhibition at Alan Baker Art Gallery
A new art exhibition has opened recently at the Alan Baker Art Gallery in Macaria, John Street, Camden. The exhibition FACE to FACE Live Sittings 1936 -1972 runs from April to September 2021. Entry is free.
Crazy Colourful Koalas on the Prowl
Prowling around The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan are a group of Hello Koalas visiting from Port Macquarie. These cute sculptures are attracting a lot of attention from Mums, Dads, Grandparents and children. These folk are enchanted by the visiting koala who return to Port Macquarie at the end of April.
Camden Showgirl, the enduring appeal of a rural pageant
The Showgirl competition (formerly Miss Showgirl) is a complex mix of paradoxes and apparent contradictions reflecting many aspects of rural life. The pageant is an exercise in women's agency with differing representations of womanhood.
Traditional trades, the legacy of Camden’s carpenters
Carpentry, vital in Camden for centuries, began with Aboriginal bush carpentry using local materials for survival. European settlers adopted this craft, creating simple structures and relying on ingenuity. Formal carpentry evolved with guilds and apprenticeships, maintaining traditional techniques and tools, shaping Camden's architectural landscape with lasting quality.
Camden’s heritage inventory
The Camden Heritage Inventory has a list of Camden properties of local and state significant to the district. The formation of the Camden Council Heritage Advisory Committee has assisted the promotion of heritage in the Camden LGA.
