This amazing photograph is actually a ‘frame grab’ from footage shot by Mr Small in the very early 1930s. It shows the fascinating hole called ‘Mount Vesuvius’ and it was the job of an early resident, Bill McDonald, as a teenager, to gather dried cow-pats and combine them with a few pages of the Sydney […]
This shows the plan view of the ‘Ava-Putt’ miniature golf course which architect Alexander Stewart Jolly designed (and most likely built) for A.J.Small. The left hand side fronted Avalon Parade – the rectangle indicating the site of the early tennis court. Note that the 6 holes on the lower boundary spelt out ‘A V A […]
No worries about getting close to the action in the car at Avalon Beach in 1935. Rather than carry a marquee-style tent to the beach just for the day, some families chose a ‘lean-to’ and one side of the family car to create a sun shelter.
This photo is a detail from a much longer panorama taken from the high ground above the path (to the right) which led down to the pool. The two furtherest planter boxes stand on the site which 10 years later would be occupied by the first surf club building. Note the covered bassinette by the […]
This view in 1920 shows the recently constructed dressing sheds and the freshly white-painted tree guards waiting for the planting of the Norfolk Island Pine trees. The shed directly behind the group of 3 people and a dog was the Gentlemen’s Dressing Shed in which was stored the reel, line and belt for surf rescue […]
This view along Avalon Parade was taken from South Avalon headland in the early 1920s. (Old) Barrenjoey Road is clearly visible as the horizontal line running from left to right. As yet there is no (New) Barrenjoey Road. The tennis court stood on the western side of the present Shell service station site and behind […]
On 5 November 1989 members of the Avalon Preservation Trust were present to witness the release of an 8 years old female koala back into Angophora Reserve. She had been rescued from the continual bombardment of 2 very parental magpies who had bailed her up in a Wandeen Road grevillea. Taronga Zoo helped her recover […]
Judging by the attitude of this koala it looks as though the cameraman is about to regret not having asked permission for this friendly ‘snap’ taken in the front yard of a house in Queens Avenue in 1964.
Geoff’s maternal grandparents lived at 64 Avalon Parade in a house built by his grandfather, William George Pryor on land they bought in 1944. George (who had three daughters) was a very gentle man and this koala looks very content and secure in his arms in their backyard. George worked originally as a coach builder, […]
