Simpler Times

Simpler Times

The Red Lamp
- John Dorl
A young boy plays a prank on the people prawning in Lake Illawarra

a Child’s Own Adventureland
- Wendy Wilson
As a place for raising children, Oak Flats was a perfect adventureland.

Away from the hurley burley
- Bob Terry
In Oak Flats there were always plenty of things to do
and plenty of ways to learn responsibility.

Batchy
- Maree Batcheldor
A tribute to Maree’s husband Bob. A love story that blossomed and
matured on the shores of the Lake and in the community at Oak Flats.

Garage Days
- Ron Gooley
Oak Flats was a paradise for struggling working class families, building their houses and their community bit by bit as money and time allowed.

Growing Up in a Fishing Family
- Leo Massey
To Leo, growing up in a fishing family was to have a magic childhood, and the things he learnt have stayed with him all through his life, even though he was one of the first boys in a number of generations not to take up professional fishing.

Gummy Sharks
- Taylor Mason
A young girl’s story about gummy sharks
in the Lake near where she lives.

Growing Up on the Lake, Chapter 42
- Lindsay Smith
Lindsay smith, OAM, is one of the most active naturalists and environmentalists in NSW. Born in 1951, he grew up on Lake Illawarra and his CHildhood tales are rich with adventure, discovery, invention, characters and wildlife.

Odd Jobs
- Ron Graham
Money was scarce in those days, so you’d turn your hand to anything. Ron yarns about a few of the odd jobs he did growing up around Lake Illawarra.

play work love
- Sonny massey
Sonny Massey’s musings on Play, Work and Love through his life on Lake Illawarra

Roaming Free
- Ron Graham
Back in the day kids and animals just roamed free around Lake Illawarra.

Water
- Jack Hyde
Jack’s account of how much hard work is involved in getting the water to your house so that you can turn on the tap and enjoy a nice shower at the end of the day.

When I Fall in Love
- Marge Hyde
Oak Flats: a place for swimming, sailing, dancing and, of course, falling in love.

Like My Skin
- Joan Hodge
Joan’s early memories of holidays at Lake illawarra are full of the sense of innocence and enjoyment that has stayed with her all her life.

Living Like Kings and Queens
- Allan Carriage
“If we all take care of the lake we'll live like Kings and Queens". Allan knows the Lake well. As an elder of the Wadi Wadi people, his family have been here for generations. The Lake was a paradise providing plenty of food and great memories.

Child of the Southerly Buster
- Aileen Dennis
Aileen’s life and loves, her character and achievements show that she is a child of the southerly buster.

Born to Fish
- Ken Christophers
Ken’s life in fishing started on Lake Illawarra.

Northside Perambulation
- Michael Bird
A poetic soundscape drawn from childhood memories of walking along the shore of Lake illawarra.