The Camden Show is on again after floods and Covid stopped it in recent years. The show is back with all the bells and whistles of the past with some new innovations. A must see is the 2023 Camden Show.
Category: Living History
The former Foresters’ Hall, a marvellous Edwardian building
In Camden NSW the former Foresters’ Hall occupies one of the most prominent sites in the Town Centre on Oxley Street and Argyle Street at 147 Argyle Street. On its opening in 1908, the hall was considered the best in New South Wales by the Order of Royal Foresters.
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St Mark’s Church Elderslie, the little church on the hill
St Mark's Church Elderslie tells the story of a small farming community that has disappeared through the mists of time. The history of St Mark’s church is the history of Elderslie, and the church was a special place of community celebrations and commemorations along with family celebrations, traditions, and events. The church has been a gathering place, a sacred site.
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Camden, a Macarthur family venture
The establishment of Camden, New South Wales, the town in 1840, was a private venture of James and William Macarthur, sons of colonial patriarch John Macarthur, at the Nepean River crossing on the northern edge of the family’s pastoral property of Camden Park. The town’s site was enclosed on three sides by a sweeping bend in the Nepean River and has regularly flooded the surrounding farmland and lower parts of the town.
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Oran Park Library: public art celebrates the ghosts of motor racing
The Oran Park library has a number of public artworks that commemorate the former Oran Park motorway that was on the site. These wonderful public art installations celebrate the memories of the  Oran Park Raceway which closed in 2010.
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Cowpastures’ memories in monuments, memorials and murals.
Many memorials and monuments across the Cowpastures landscape commemorate its history and sense of place, with a recent nostalgic turn focusing on the pioneers and European settlement. War memorials are a ubiquitous form of memorialization in the Macarthur region, and public art, historical sites, and cultural heritage also play significant roles. These commemorations can be controversial, especially considering Australia's dark history, and evoke different memories for different people. Additionally, the landscape of the Cowpastures is interpreted in various ways, including as a colonial frontier, government reserve, and English-style landscape. Various memorials, artworks, and historic sites dot the region, contributing to its identity and history.
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Flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Valley
The latest heavy rain in the area has sparked concerns about potential flooding, bringing back memories of past events. The Hawkesbury-Nepean River valley's unique landform features contribute to fast-rising and dangerous floods. This situation has led to considerable anxiety and trauma, prompting the need for emotional and trauma support in the affected communities.
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We need new ways to tell stories of the past
We need new ways to tell local stories in the face of fake news, the search for 'the truth' and a host of conspiracy theories. Stories about our past need to based on evidence from a range of credible sources. There is a need to be a historical detective.
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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.
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Mileposts captured the distance of the past
The white concrete mileposts in Camden, remnants of the Hume Highway, mark distances to destinations like Sydney and Mittagong. Originating from Roman times, these posts were part of a 1934 initiative to standardize road markers in NSW, aiding both travelers and road maintenance. They reflect Camden's cultural and engineering heritage.
