Commuter Blues

A lack of posting denotes that I'm working in Sydney and don't have enough time or inspiration to do so , basically getting up at 4.30 am daily stuffs you
This making me angry , especially more when a dickhead in a White Camry overtakes you on a blind corner on Woy Woy Road , just scraping past a line of 3 cars and lordy what comes by the other way about 5 seconds later - a front end loader with it's bucket down , I hope you realise what may have happened if you were a tad slower , I doubt I would have stopped to help you ( I've had to do this before on the same corner )

and to top things off

Something happened on Bulls Hill on Friday , coming in all the way from Kariong to the top of the hill the traffic was turned back and we had to head down the hill into West Gosford , it took me 1 and a half fucking hours to get home as every man and his dog piles into Gosford at this time of day.

Serenity now ( actually 4 bourbons done the trick )

Unlikely Heroes

As the death toll from the Victorian bush fires last weekend rises to near 200 , this amazing video emerged of a firefighter helping a disoriented koala , Sam the Koala and Mr.Tree his saviour are now international celebrities



For more detailed information on the fires check out This isn't Sydney

Another local history article for the Peninsula News has been submitted for the next edition , be sure to grab a copy

Smoke on the water

This weekend will be remembered for a long time , record temperatures in the southern parts of the country have resulted in devastating bushfires in Victoria , over 25 people have been killed so far and the count is set to rise.
The coast has not been spared and a large fire started in the Peats Ridge area on Friday afternoon , a wind change brought the smoke down from the hills and onto the coastal strip , so thick was the smoke that a game was delayed at Bluetongue Stadium on Friday night.
I took a drive towards Gosford to get this photo at Koolewong at about 6 pm

Spears Family - Gosford

Recently I recieved a call from Craig Spears , he had read my article on the Woy Woy WW2 airfield and in particular noticed the mention of the top secret Bombi radar installation.
Craigs family has been in the area since the early 1800's , they lived in Gosford and one of the decendants was the licensee of the Pier Hotel in the 1900's which was located next to the Police station.
Prior to that the family had lived where the railway line now passes through Gosford town , George Spears had passed away long before the line was put through , Mr's Spears would not be moved from their home and bluntly told all " I will not shift until I am carried out ! "
The navvies working on the track continued blasting the sandstone near the residence with her permission " they can blast " she said.
One day rocks came through her roof at landed at the foot of the bed , poor old Elizabeth Spears died not long after.
Over a cup of tea Craig told me about his father who had worked for the old Brisbane Water County Council as an electrician during WW2.
One day they were told to report to the Bombi Radar installation to work on the site , after passing a checkpoint with armed guards they made their way down a long track to the facility.
As for telling of what went on there you must understand that in those days it could be considered an offense to discuss in public matters concerning Bombi.
But being a small town , it was no secret and Craig recalls local kids saying to his father " Hey aren't you the guy working at the secret radar station ! "
Craig says that the radar did register an enemy presence on at least one occasion.
Craigs mother told of seeing a prisoner of war train pull up at Gosford station one day and she saw dozens of strange faces peering out of the wagons " they looked like little monkeys " she recalls.
She also remembers air raid sirens going off on at least 2 occasions during the war.
Thanks Craig for the interesting chat and insight into old time Woy Woy