Wollongong Heritage and Stories

leisure

Bonnie Gem caravan and contents

With the coming of the car, Australians were able to travel to their destinations much quicker than ever before, prompting them to explore more of their environment and spend more time in it.The…

View More »

Roll out the Barrel

Since white settlement in 1788, migrants have come from all over the world to populate our island home. And the Illawarra is a diverse mix of the world's people, who have come to enjoy its lifestyle…

View More »

World Famous Bulli Black

Hidden within this unique cricket ball is a very precious and much desired substance.Bulli Black, as it is known, is a material made up of clay and basalt of volcanic origin. It is used to make…

View More »

The Spell of the Shell

In 1977 Wollongong City Council bought a local shell collection as a tourist attraction for the Wollongong Tourist Association. This unique collection included shells, shell art, specimens and a large…

View More »

A Truly Australian Motorcycle

This motorcyce is one of only two surviving examples of a range of 12 motorcycles manufactured by David Spencer in Torwood, Brisbane between 1903 and 1910. Australian Motorlife Museum took ownership…

View More »

The 1904 Innes Car

In the pioneering days of the motor vehicle, common practice was to purchase the parts, put them into a chassis and put the manufacturer's name on the finished product.

View More »

Fuelling the Nation

In the early days of electricity in smaller towns and villages, priority of use was given to essential items such as street lights. Things such as petrol pumps were operated by hand.

View More »

The Lost Village of Sherbrooke

Formerly known as Bulli Mountain, the village of Sherbrooke existed for only around 30 years, before it was resumed for the construction of Cataract Dam, and its associated catchment area.

View More »

Living and Working With the Environment

Life in rural Australia was one of hard work, adapting to the surroundings and making do with what was available.Members of the Hurry family lived at ‘Vine Cottage', Albion Park for just over a…

View More »

Surf Life Saving on the Illawarra Coast

At the end of the 19th century, as the popularity of surf bathing increased, by-laws in place since the 1830s, that banned swimming in daylight hours were repealed.

View More »

NRMA J Van

As motor vehicles became more affordable and people began to move further from their homes for driving holidays and day trips, the need for the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) and its…

View More »

Victor motorcycle

Motorcylces grew in popularity at the start of the 20th century and many people built their own. Motorcycles provided people with freedom and ease of travel and having a sidecar meant that you could…

View More »

Life In Australia

Since white settlement in 1788, migrants have come from all over the world to populate our island home.

View More »