Local People

Whalan GP, Dr Anselm Kuok, has retired after 36 years of medical service to the community. Saying he wanted to spend more time with his family, the 80-year-old will be sorely missed by the Blacktown City community, according to Mayor Tony Bleasdale. “For decades, Dr Kuok has been a rock for his community, helping local […]

Pauline Berry’s unique collection of Japanese textile ‘art’ has inspired the latest exhibition at Hawkesbury Gallery this weekend. A selection of the North Richmond resident’s favourite walling hangings and quilts will hang together with artists’ images inspired by the colour palettes of her textiles. Labelled Quilt-Art: A New Concept, the showing provides an opportunity to […]

by Greg Martin The Royal Australian Air Force this year celebrated the centenary of its formation on 21 March 1921. A year after the birth of the RAAF, Margaret and Reg Turnbull became proud parents of a bouncing baby girl, Jean, at a private hospital in Richmond. And 20 years later, that young lass was […]

By Greg Martin A mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent, would nip into the nearest ‘phone box (which, uncannily, was always vacant) and emerge seconds later as Superman. I always wondered what happened to his street clothes! I digress! When Glenn Watson slips into an entertainment venue’s dressing room, she emerges as Drag Queen extraordinaire, Miranda Fair! […]

By Maryann Jenkins Beautiful, poignant, compelling, honest, inspiring. Some of Blacktown’s greatest writers spoke candidly on their experiences of growing up in the district at the Stories From 2148 panel event at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts centre. Featuring Evelyn Araluen, Maryam Azam, Sarah Malik and Joy Adan, the event was hosted by Tongan-Australian writer […]

By Lorna Gordon Many of you will know Garry Jack from his time with Balmain Tigers in the eighties, his appearances for NSW in State of Origin and his international rugby career. For the past few years Garry has worked for TAB in the trade engagement team. He also does a regular weekly podcast called […]

by Greg Martin During my long career at this writing caper I’ve had the absolute pleasure in penning words about folk who always remind me of the central character, David Powlett-Jones, in R.F. (Ronnie) Delderfield’s, wonderful novel, To Serve Them All My Days. Powlett-Jones, after being demobbed from the English Army at the end of […]

The word “mud” is well known to your writer. Muddying the waters, mudlark, mudguard, your name’s mud, muddle-headed, mud-throwing, here’s mud in your eye and stick in the mud. I even know that mudarma is a shrub and a mudir is the governor of a Turkish village or Egyptian province. But until meeting Kurmond’s Allyson […]

James Brice is a man who wears many hats. He is a teacher, a conductor, a husband and father and the latest one he can add is joint Hills Citizen of the Year. Along with this local award he recently received Life Membership of the Band Association of NSW of which he has been part […]

MPN-MATE Research Foundation, was commenced by a small group of MPN self-advocating patients, who came to realise that very little research work was being conducted in the field of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs). MPNs appear when bone marrow creates a proliferation of red, white blood cells, and platelets. Because MPNs are characterised by uncontrolled cell growth, […]

Your writer has had a love of boxing all his life. As a kid I devoured stories about old-time luminaries such as Jem Mace, John L Sullivan, Gentleman Jim Corbett, Young Griffo, Jack Johnson, Les Darcy, Dave Sands, Joe Louis and Jimmy Carruthers. Since getting into the journo caper more than half a century ago, […]

Life is but a series of memories. Bad and sad. Good and glad. During her 90 years in this place, Blacktown’s marvellous nonagenarian, Angela Gauci, has experienced many of life’s ups and downs. Spending 63 of those years with her beloved husband, Joe, who sadly passed way in 2010 after a long battle with dementia. […]