The red poppy carries a lot of symbolism in cultural mythologies from remembrance to sacrifices. The simple flower triggers outpouring of emotion, memories and commemorations on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day every year.
Category: Memory
Life Blood, public art at the Australia Botanic Gardens
On the forecourt of the Herbarium at the Australian Botanic Garden is an artwork celebrating the heritage of Indigenous culture called Life Blood.
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The Camden Story: the historiography of the history of the country town of Camden NSW
The history of telling the story of a small community has been interpreted in different ways at different times in the past by different historians. This area of study is called the historiography. I have recently published an article on the historiography of the small country town of Camden, NSW.
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Blue Plaque recognises Camden Red Cross sewing circle in wartime
The wartime efforts of Camden women have been recognised by the successful nomination for a New South Wales Blue Plaque with Heritage NSW. The women volunteered thousands of hours of their effort and skills to supply hospital requisites for soldiers at military hospitals.
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Camden pepper trees, a remnant of the past
In the 1890s, Camden Municipal Council started beautifying the town area by planting various trees, including peppercorns. These cultural plantings defined the local urban landscape for decades, yet only a handful remain today.
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Camden Show 2023
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.
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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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The Cowpastures Bicentennial, Governor Hunter and the Appin Massacre: the memory of the Cowpastures
I often wondered why the cultural material representative of the Cowpastures appeared to have been 'forgotten' by our community. The list of cultural items is quite an extensive include: roads and bridges, parks and reserves; historic sites, books, paintings, articles; conferences, seminars, and workshops; monuments, memorials and murals; community commemorations, celebrations and anniversaries.
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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.
