What was this used for? Here is a clue; it was used on a Sydney icon 100 years ago. History Cottage

The Society’s annual June Roughley Memorial Lecture, was held in the Arcadia Community Centre last month. Guest speaker, John Brock, shared his knowledge and love of surveying and history with members and guests.

Mr Brock’s lecture told of the association Strzelecki had with Australian exploration and the reason for his naming of Mount Kosciuszko but there were others, mostly women, who have not been given the recognition they deserve. Mr Brock’s lecture gave the stories of some who played an important role in Australian exploration and geology; a most interesting afternoon.

The Arcadia centre is used for this special part of the Society’s year because it is a much overlooked and historical community asset. It is an ideal setting for any type of gathering, especially a family or community function.

News From History CottageThe 9th September meeting will be in our usual venue, the Uniting Church in School Rd Galston at 2.00pm. Dr Lesley Harbon (née Roughley) will tell of the women of the Roughley Family and their contribution to it, over many generations.

Lesley started her education at Arcadia Public School, where local history is a study, and was in the first cohort of students to matriculate from Galston High School.  As she is related to many of the early local families, her interest turned to their lives and she developed a love of history, encouraged by later history teachers; this resulted in her becoming a Professor of International Studies and Education at the University of Technology Sydney.

The Society’s AGM, on the 14th October in the Church, starting at 2.00pm, will be the popular Show and Tell with contributions from the audience.

Entry is free. Gold coin afternoon tea. Enquiries to Michael Bell 96531365 Dural and District Historical Society Inc.

Mystery Item. A steel wedge use to align units during the construction of the Harbour Bridge. Part of the DDHS archives.