Chained to a rock on Goat Island for 2 years
Goat Island in Sydney Harbour became Charles 'Boney' Anderson's prison for two years, chained to a large sandstone rock.
Tales from the Grave
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Samantha Elley
- May 4, 2021
- 4 min
Nine-year-old completes 2500km trek alone
A 9 year old boy travels from the country to the city alone and stirs up a nation.
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Samantha Elley
- Apr 27, 2021
- 3 min
Pioneer with Tolstoy connections saves stranded ship's crew
Frank Skinner Thompson and his wife Alice Maude knew how to show hospitality.
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Samantha Elley
- Apr 20, 2021
- 3 min
How a piece of paper caused more drama than a soap opera
The fight over his will took up more space in the newspaper than his obituary.
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Samantha Elley
- Apr 12, 2021
- 3 min
Rocket scientist had his eyes on the stars
This young dairy lad from New Zealand maps the heavens.
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Samantha Elley
- Apr 5, 2021
- 4 min
He had a finger in whaling, philanthropy and politics
He had a heart for people and a head for business in the early Hobart days.
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Samantha Elley
- Mar 26, 2021
- 1 min
A date with SAG to talk about Tales
I was honoured to be asked to talk about the establishment of Tales
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Samantha Elley
- Mar 20, 2021
- 5 min
“Here’s to ‘ee”: Raising a glass to the Toohey Brothers
Two Irish brothers who had been running pubs in Melbourne, travel to Sydney to make their own beer, and create an Australian icon. It is...
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Samantha Elley
- Mar 12, 2021
- 5 min
12 children, a widow and a passion for women's issues
When Enid Lyons made her maiden speech in Parliament in 1943, it was an historic moment.
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Samantha Elley
- Mar 5, 2021
- 4 min
Gumnut baby creator seen as ‘New Woman’ in early 20th century
Bringing the beauty of the Australian bush alive, not only to children, but also to adults, was the special skill of May Gibbs. Born to...
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Samantha Elley
- Feb 26, 2021
- 1 min
Tales from the Grave enters Genealogy list
It's been 15 months now since I established my newspaper column Tales from the Grave as a website. It's been only 3 months since I...
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Samantha Elley
- Feb 20, 2021
- 4 min
Dickens' son a station agent and bushranger catcher
His name alone carried the weight of British literature.
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Samantha Elley
- Feb 13, 2021
- 4 min
Sheep industry thrives under a woman’s touch
Elizabeth’s expert ability to manage the sheep ensured their competitive place in the British wool market.
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Samantha Elley
- Feb 7, 2021
- 4 min
Police Commissioner has finger on the police force pulse
He nearly died on the job and introduced finger printing as a way of catching criminals.
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Samantha Elley
- Jan 29, 2021
- 3 min
The mystery of the Fraser Island girls
Two young white girls are rescued from an Aboriginal tribe on Fraser Island, three years after their boat is ship-wrecked and all crew is lo
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Samantha Elley
- Jan 23, 2021
- 2 min
Bundaberg brewer died on his honeymoon
Only a few weeks after his marriage Gustav Steindl died.
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Samantha Elley
- Jan 11, 2021
- 4 min
Young author brings 'Never Never' to the literary world
Jeannie Taylor stood at only 5 foot (153cm) as an adult, but her strength, energy and determination were her greatest legacies.
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Samantha Elley
- Dec 11, 2020
- 4 min
First Australian soldier to be awarded American Purple Heart
An Australian pilot who flew 201 missions in the Korean War but couldn’t drive a car. He was, however, the first from his country to be...
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Samantha Elley
- Dec 7, 2020
- 4 min
Olley surrounded herself in still life art
She worked in a chaotic maze of colour and clutter, creating her beautiful artworks. Her surroundings were not for the minimalists among...
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Samantha Elley
- Dec 4, 2020
- 4 min
Fridge king establishes Taronga Park Zoo
When Edward John Lees Hallstrom had a passion for something, he threw everything at it.
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