Personal Stories

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Childhood and Other Memories – Woolgoolga Facebook group

This group is about sharing our memories and making new ones

Reminiscences of Gwenyth Patricia Swan, née Pollack, 1986

From "Who are the Pollacks?" (Jo and Allen Brown, editors, Aug 1986, privately published, pp71–76). This book is subtitled "The Phyl Brown Octenary Celebration Booklet", and was produced to celebrate the 80th birthday of Phyllis Marjorie Pollack, the eldest of seven children of Alfred John Pollack and Janet Laura, née Watson. Gwenyth Patricia Pollack (1916–2003) was their youngest child.

Reminiscences from Who are the Pollacks - Gwenyth Patricia Swan - 1986.pdf

Jackie Remembers

Jackie Ganderton was born 10 February 1916 at Grafton. Her family moved to Woolgoolga when she was just seven years old.

This seven minute interview was recorded on 28 September 2017, at the Woolgoolga Retirement Village, by Mitchell Huthnance. Norm Michener asked the questions. Jackie’s daughter, Denise Macgregor-Skinner, kindly helped to set up the interview.

My Time In Woolgoolga

Don Clinch, 2015

My Time in Woolgoolga - Don Clinch - 2015.pdf

 Ron Rediger Reflects on His Life in the Bush

Written by Don Clinch, August 2013

Ron has made a most significant contribution to the development of forestry in the region and the Woolgoolga community.

Ron Rediger August 2013.pdf

Doing the Messages

A memory of childhood from a resident, 2004

Doing the Messages - A memory of childhood from a resident.pdf

Interview with Ron Gray, Woolgoolga

Don Clinch, 5th July 2012

This interview consists of a history of the Gray Family but also involves the history of the banana industry in Woolgoolga as it involved the Gray family. Ron has a distinguished record in the industry.

Interview with Ron Gray - by Don Clinch.pdf

A Punjabi Sikh Community in Australia

Chapter 2: From sojourners to settlers

Rashmere Bhatti conducted a number of interviews during 2000 and early 2001 with people living in the Woolgoolga-Coffs Harbour area and elsewhere about the Punjabis when they first came to this area. You can read at this site the responses she received regarding Marjorie Hedges, Peter Newman, Peter's wife, Berril Newman, Earl Richards, Vivian Thomas Slater, Janice O'Connell, Harry Gale, Robert John Laugher, Frederick George (Dood) Unwin, Iris Unwin (Dood's wife), Jean Robinson and Harbhajan Kaur Bains (the granddaughter of Baba Ram Singh who died in 1983, aged 106 years).

A Personal History of Woolgoolga Art Group

by Dianne Collins

Dianne Collins PERS HIST OF WGA ART GROUP.pdf

Interview with Jenny Storum

Interview with Mrs Storum.pdf

A Short Story of My Life

by Beryl Hubbard Finedon

Beryl_Hubbard_Finedon.pdf

Reminiscences

Mrs Anna Martha Younger, née Hofmeier, as told to Nug Ganderton

Reminiscences of Anna Maria Younger nee Hofmeier from Nug Ganderton 1956.pdf

Roy Atkins and “The Meat Palace”

As told to Don Clinch and Doug Prendergast by family members and from personal knowledge, July 2013

Roy Atkins and the Meat Palace.pdf

Alice Jane "Ma" Whitton

As related by Marj Haines to Don Clinch 20 May 2013

Alice Jane Whitton - by Marj Haines.pdf

Harold "Peter" Thompson

Interviewed in 1984 by Dr John Kramer

Peter Thompson interview with Fayle & McNeil.pdf

RIP Joginder Kaur Arkan

Woopi News June 2022, Issue 34, pp 26-29.

Read full story

Alice Thompson Stories

Stories and Recollections compiled by Alice May Thompson née Younger, including “A VILLAGE IS BORN”, extracted from 1932 article by Thomas Richards

Alice Thompson stories.pdf

Memories of Woolgoolga

Memories of Woolgoolga, by Peggy Graddock, July 2022

Memories of Woolgoolga, by Peggy Graddock, parts 1 and 2.pdf

Digital Stories from Aged Care Residents

Sawtell Catholic Care of the Aged is a dynamic, innovative aged care organisation offering quality living experiences to its resident community.

In 2016 SCCA they wanted to start to capture some of the amazing life stories of their wonderful residents. Sharing a life story can be a validating and life affirming experience for the storyteller and has been shown to have beneficial effects on well being from depression through to mental cognition.

SCCA collaborated with Coffs Coast Community College and volunteers who worked with the storytellers from the SCCA community. It’s sometimes been quite an emotional journey for the storytellers to revisit their pasts, but they all say it’s been a wonderful positive experience in so many ways.

SCCA’s intention is to continue their community collaborations next year and build on this pilot project. They’d love to involve schools and other community participants to capture more stories  for residents and their families as a way of building connection through generations and preserving this fascinating living history.

You can view the videos and there will be more to come!