ÒNurungiÓRemembered OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE CONCORD HERITAGE SOCIETY email: [email protected] www.concordheritage.asn.au EDITOR No.129 February 2007 LOIS MICHEL 9744-8528 PRESIDENT Brush Farm ALAN WRIGHT 9743-4869 Gregory Blaxland built his home, Brush with an interest in horse racing, who Farm House, in 1819-1821 and today it is founded and developed the Rosehill Race- PUBLIC RELATIONS one of Australia’s oldest houses. It is course. TRISH SKEHAN situated adjacent to Brush Farm Park, a 4369-4172 In 1894 it became the Carpentarian Boys’ part of the former estate, overlooking the Reformatory, then a home for single SECRETARY/TREASURER Parramatta River. mothers and delinquent girls, and later still LOIS MICHEL The original house was a four room, two- a home for handicapped children. 3 Flavelle Street storey dwelling, built on sandstone foun- In 1988 the Brush Farm House and property (P.O. Box 152) dations with brick walls. Concord 2137 was purchased by the Department of Phone: 9744-8528 It was sold by Blaxland in 1831 and was Corrective Services. Fax: 9744-7591 then owned by the Forster family, which Finally, in 1990, Ryde Municipal Council included Blaxland’s grandson and one- purchased it and they began restoration of ASSISTANT SECRETARY time Premier of NSW (1856-1860), VINCE SCERRI the building in 2006. 9736-1003 William Forster. ----------------- (Information from Australian Heritage, Summer From 1881 the house was the residence 2006 edition) MEETINGS of John Bennett, a theatrical entrepreneur General Meetings 2nd Wednesday of month at 7:30 pm in the Concord Citizens’ Centre Saving Amiens - April 1918 9 Wellbank Street, Concord The centenary of World War I is fast ap- well as the 11th Bn., W.A., to which my fa- Phone: 8765-9155 proaching and with it will come a great ther belonged. An important aspect in the Executive Meetings surge of interest in this period. conduct of this action was that Australian 4th Wednesday of A few months ago I found an old litho- troops were commanded by General August, October, January, graph, “Saving Amiens”, subtitled “A Monash, who planned his actions in a me- March, May and July Brilliant Bayonet Charge by the Ninth ticulous manner and his troops trusted him. at 7:30 pm in the Concord Citizens’ Centre Australian Brigade”. It shows the flam- boyance of a military charge, with an Walker Estates Committee interesting background of place and 4th Wednesday of action, in this case a small river running September, November, under a small stone bridge. Our soldiers February, April and June are grappling with an enemy machine gun at 7:30 pm in the crew and back-up troops advance from Concord Citizens’ Centre behind their Australian officer. Bob Jones, 8765-9347 When I studied my reference*, “The Aus- Other Committees tralian Battlefields of the Western Front” I As arranged found that the 9th Brigade were raised in Watch the newsletter N.S.W. and comprised the 33rd, 34th, 35th Museum and 36th Battalions. This puzzled me as Saving Amiens, by F. Matania. Lorraine Holmes, 9743-2682 my father came from Western Australia Archives/Local History and served with the 11th Battalion. How- Lola Sharp, 8753-0659 ever, I found further details which ex- plained why my father acquired this picture Heritage and brought it home with him on a hospi- Bob Jones, 8765-9347 tal ship in 1919. February Wed 14: Greg Blaxel, “The Life of Oral/Family History Laffin explains that the “Battle of Amiens” Gregory Blaxland” and “Brush Farm”; Lola Sharp,* 8753-0659 took place a long way from Amiens, actu- CONCORD ally south east of Villers-Bretonneux. March Wed 14: Gareth Debney, “Yaralla’s Wild HERITAGE MUSEUM Furthermore, from 31st May, 1918, all five Side”. Gareth will be focusing mainly on the 5 Wellbank Street A.I.F. Divisions came under the direct conservation value and significance of the Open 2:00 - 4:00 pm command of General John Monash. This remnant natural bushland on Yaralla and on 1st and 3rd would have included N.S.W. battalions as Rivendell. Wednesdays & Saturdays John Laffin goes on to detail a number have restored. She gave us the Cabarita Park - of engagements in this important bat- above article and I was waiting to see tle, where many of the incidents were whether she managed to do anything Draft Management Plan breathtaking in their daring ”. and with her print before publishing. A draft Plan of Management has been prepared for many gallant actions took place along However, In our museum cleanup of Cabarita Park to guide Council as the owner of the advancing front line . “ community land and trust manager of two parcels our collection of paintings, drawings, of Crown Land in the future management of One of these “gallant actions” involved etc., we came across a framed litho- Cabarita Park. Lt. Lawrence McCarthy, who “led a graph of the same print. Due to its historical connections, Cabarita Park has platoon and bombed his way . Printed on the back is the following: substantial regional significance. The park occu- awarded the V.C.” The first rush of the great German pies a prominent location on the Parramatta River My father had many friends and cous- and accommodates wide range of significant ac- offensive in March of last year carried tivities. ins in the 16th Bn. And also had fam- the enemy to a position in front of ily connections with York, W.A., where Villers Bretonneux nine miles east of The Draft Plan of Management will be on public Lt. McCarthy lived. The connection exhibition from Wednesday 10 January Amiens, where he (the enemy) until Wednesday 12 March 2007, and written with McCarthy probably explains why paused for a few days reorganising my father was interested in this par- submissions to the General Manager will be and accumulating material to allow accepted during this period. It may be viewed at ticular picture, as I do not believe he him to continue the advance. brought much home on the hospital the Canada Bay Civic Centre in Drummoyne, The position was extremely critical for Five Dock Library, Concord Library and Concord ship. West Library, or on Council’s website the allies, as the loss of Villers www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au. This war picture is probably a com- Bretonneux would have left open the posite of several typical actions of this road to Amiens, there being at that Written submissions should be sent to the General phase of confrontation, which sus- time no other defensive positions east Manager, City of Canada Bay Council, Locked Bag tained considerable losses despite of the city. 1470, Drummoyne, 1470 or can be sent by email Monash’s meticulous planning. to [email protected] On April 4 at 6:00 a.m. following a tre- Public Hearing As Laffin writes: “The triumph had left mendous bombardment of the town, streaks of Australian blood across the the enemy attacked in great force. The Local Government Act requires Council, when southern Somme”. Having seen the preparing Plans of Management, to categorise German military cemeteries of the Australian troops were holding the line Community Land as either:- area, with mass graves, their loss of immediately in front of the town and Sportsgrounds, blood was obviously immense. as the Germans succeeded in pen- Areas of Cultural Significance, etrating the line between their left Parks, and/or This old picture is already eighty flank and the Somme the position was General Community Use Areas. seven years old and nearing its cen- extremely serous, but a readjustment Natural Areas, tury. It captures the action and sav- of the line was made, and British cav- agery of the first World War in which The Act prescribes core objectives for each cat- alry arriving at the critical moment, egory. The Act also requires that a Public Hear- we lost a huge proportion of our fit dismounted, dug in and filled the ing be held in regard to the proposed young men, gloriously, bravely, but breach and, with the Australians, frus- categorisations. often needlessly. The least we can trated the enemy’s further attempts to do is to understand and remember A Public Hearing will be held into the categorisa- advance. tions proposed in the draft plan of management their sacrifice. In the afternoon the Germans on Thursday, 15 February 2007 at the Concord It is possible that the Ninth Australian renewed the attack, making violent Community Centre in Gipps Street. Brigade, whose deeds helped end the efforts to envelope the town from the Comments from the public hearing will be consid- war in the “Battle of Amiens” may have south and by sheer weight of numbers ered in conjunction with submissions received also included WW I A.I.F. soldiers gaining some temporary success but during the public exhibition period. from Concord. a brilliant bayonet charge by the 9th For further information, please contact Council’s Margaret Hughes Australian Brigade completely saved Parks Planner, Mr Vincent Conroy, on 9911 6422 Ref: Australian Battlefields of the West- the situation, London troops digging in or email [email protected] ern Front, 1916-18, by John Laffin. in support. Gary Sawyer (General Manager) City of Canada Bay Council Ed Note: You may remember Mar- The German losses in this battle were garet coming along to one of our very heavy, a large number of dead meetings to tell us about this very being left on the field. or not. This is a large project and we need badly damaged print she was trying to all the help we can get.