“Flame Trees” was sung by Jimmy Barnes to commemorate Australia Day on 26th January this year (2016). The song depicts for me the two sides of Grafton, its  polarities. This [...]

I manage to write more in winter, because there’s not the pull of the outside and nature:  swimming, walks in the sun by the sea and all that to tempt [...]

This House of Grief The First Stone 1995 Monkey Grip 1977 Congratulations to Helen Garner Helen Garner, one of my favourite Australian writers, deserves [...]

A Genteel Ghost a true story by Roger Britton I never believed in ghosts before, but now I am not quite sure … perhaps a “presence” is what I mean [...]

Here's a story from my Teachers' College friend, Ian Wells. It's great for me to re-live that all-important primary school teaching experience through his words. It's the kids' future that [...]

"Snakey" by Roger Britton I soon learnt Death Adders were dangerous in more ways than one. The common belief among us school boys was that, once you were bitten by [...]

Is there an optimal time for a woman to give birth? Is it once you have an amazing job — when money is no longer a problem? Or maybe not [...]

One of the last remaining wild areas on the eastern seaboard of Sydney has recently been rescued from the hands of developers through protest and last-minute government intervention. Malabar Headland, [...]

I’ve always enjoyed reading Helen Garner’s works, from the very beginning when my girlfriend Julie gave me the first novel by this gifted writer, Monkey Grip. Admittedly, her reputation as [...]

"Only in Australia" Thanks to Brian Moore for alerting me to the video clip below: Four black swans seen riding waves at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast (Queensland) in [...]