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[…]
Author: Geoff Searl
Coming Home!
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[…]
Mr Grumpy?
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[…]
George and Koala
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[…]
‘Grand Prix’ at Avalon Cinema
To promote the screening of ‘Grand Prix’ at the Avalon Cinema’ in 1966, Arnold Spry came up with the innovative idea of displaying an actual open-wheeler similar to the one in which Alec Mildren won[…]
Avalon Cinema Opening Night
For some years in the 1950s Gwen Searl kept a ‘minute book’ in which she recorded the ‘going-ons’ around Avalon Beach, including the school. She even pasted in this book the butts from the Opening[…]
Avalon Cinema Projectors
Arnold Spry stands proudly beside the ‘state of the art’ projection equipment on Opening Night (28 July 1955) of the ‘Avalon Cinema’. The projectors were imported from England and supplied by Gaumont-Kalee and labelled ‘the[…]
Beginning of “ClareVilla”
This photo taken in 1923 shows Alan Hay with his daughter Irene on his lap. Alan had married Clara Dorothy Collier in 1919. His other daughter Evelyn sits between the two Butcher children and her[…]
‘Pearl of Pittwater’ Estate
Pearl of Pittwater Estate for private sale by Arthur Rickard.
Delecta Avenue
This detail from Arthur Rickard’s ‘Pearl of Pittwater Estate’ subdivision plan shows the view in 1920 from Hudson Parade down Delecta Avenue towards the present-day turning circle and boat launching area adjacent to the car[…]
The Vale of Avalon
This unique photo is one of our favourites and is a one-third part of a panorama shot from the present roundabout at ‘Kamikaze Corner’ in late 1921. (Old) Barrenjoey Road sweeps from left to right[…]
Old Barrenjoey Road
This north-east view along (Old) Barrenjoey Road was taken in 1923. Sanders Lane is yet to be formed as is The Crescent. In the left of the picture is the first general store on the[…]