The Camden Rose Festival, founded by JW Hill, celebrated the 1960s' prosperity and optimism. The festival included a street parade, wheelbarrow derby, art exhibition, and a masked ball. The event attracted significant community participation and raised funds for Camden District Hospital. The festival reflected the spirit of the post-war years and local community engagement.
Category: Social History
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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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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Public Art, Young Women Artists Have Something to Say
Young women artists from the Camden area have had their artworks on public display in a program called Something to Say. The art installations were located outside the Camden Council administration building at Oran Park NSW from late 2023 to early 2024..
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Public art in Hobart tells the story of female convicts in Van Diemen’s Land
Public art has been used in Hobart to reveal stories of female convicts that have been hidden in the shadows for decades on the Hobart waterfront and at the Cascades Female Factory.
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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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Unlock Camden 2023, a festival celebrating our past
Unlock Camden is a history festival that celebrates the Camden story through walks, art, images, stories, and a host of other activities. Events are centred in historic the John Street precinct around the Alan Baker Art Gallery Macaria.
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‘Fibro Majestic’: A Celebration of Mid-Century Housing at Campbelltown Arts Centre by Catherine O’Donnell
The "Fibro Majestic" exhibition at Campbelltown Arts Centre celebrates the historical significance of fibro housing in Australia, highlighting its role in post-war society. Artist Catherine O'Donnell's work reflects on the nostalgia, memories, and social contexts surrounding these humble structures, transforming perceptions of an architecture once deemed unattractive.
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Camden Rotary Pioneer Mural: public art, a mural, a memorial wall and a wishing well
The Camden Pioneer Mural is an example of public art. The Camden mural depicts the Camden story as interpreted in 1962 by ceramic artist Byram Mansell.
