The Owen Gun, officially known as the Owen Machine Carbine submachine gun, is the only weapon entirely designed in Australia and was assembled right here in the Illawarra.
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In the early years of World War 1, men from across NSW marched from their rural communities to Sydney for enlistment in the services. These marches became known as ‘snowball’ marches, the…
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Shellwork has always been a part of Aboriginal women's culture, with shells having many uses including for adornment and for the crafting of ingenious fishing hooks.
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As World War One raged across Europe, women made their contribution to the war effort through fundraising and producing comforts for those at the front line. Some 10,000 patriotic clubs sprung,…
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Between the 1940s and 1970s clothing manufacturing businesses were a large employer of women and girls leaving school aged 14 or 15 years. In many cases the women supported their family incomes or…
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Tucked away in the University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, is the site of one of Wollongong's migrant hostels. The Fairy Meadow or Balgownie hostel, and the caravan park at Stuart Park, North…
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This air raid siren was used at Lysaght's steel manufacturing works in Port Kembla during World War Two. An air raid siren, officially known as a civil defense siren, generates its high pitched…
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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…
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Mary Dungey, a miner worker's wife, was at home when the blast from the Mt Kembla Mine threw her across the kitchen floor. The cry rang through the village, `Oh my God, the mine has gone up!’…
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The Blinkco family have a long association with the Black Diamond district that extends back to the days of Sherbrooke before its resumption for the Cataract Dam.
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