In summary:

1961-1962 Nicholson Parade, CRONULLA
1964-1965 Franklin Road, CRONULLA
1965-1967 Gosport Street, CRONULLA
1967 Willarong Road, CARINGBAH
1968-1969 Woolooware Road, WOOLOOWARE

It would take too long to explain why the family moved so much! Add to that mix practice teaching at Cronulla High in 1965, and appointment there 1966-1969, after which my Shire life came to an end, though connections of course continued.

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Recap of my family’s wandering thus far:

1. 1943-1952 Auburn Street SUTHERLAND
2. 1952-1955 Vermont Street SUTHERLAND (first time)
3. 1956-1958 Avery Avenue KIRRAWEE
4. 1959 Box Road, JANNALI
5. 1960-1961 Oyster Bay Road, COMO

Quite a lot more bush occupied much of that space back in 1959-1961, and my father was in some small measure one of those responsible for its going, being a real estate agent in Jannali and then Sutherland for much of that time, while my mother had for a while a dress shop in Jannali. Long story; I won’t go there.

At 17 I did my first practice teaching session at Jannali West Primary, over the line and up the hill from Jannali shops. In Jannali we lived above the shops in a flat that at least gave a good view of closely watched trains; in 60-61 we rented a house in Oyster Bay Road, and very leafy it was too. Dad had a Riley in those days though ours was black. He could use his carpentry skills on it too… The cat, which came with the house, had a habit of curling up inside; one day when Dad set off for Jannali in the morning, the cat, disturbed, went in panic for the highest point, the top of my father’s head, and sat there with its claws dug in. Fortunately Dad did not crash into anything and disburdened himself rather quickly. I think after that he made sure the car windows were closed when the car was in the car port.

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From 1956 to 1958, give or take some months, Kirrawee was my home. Now fifty years is a very long time, but the station and main street are still very recognisable.

Go down the street, turn left at President Avenue and walk toward Gymea. When you reach Bath Road turn left again. When the railway line hinders further progress, turn right and you are in Avery Avenue. When I lived there Averys still occupied the corner house. Past the Roaches, two doors up, what was left of a farm began, complete with goats and the odd cow. Beyond that the road to Grays Point was still mainly bush. There was a “village idiot” living in a hut on the farm: Old Jack was harmless, given to carrying around an alarm clock in a brown paper shopping bag, and always checking the time. He used to ring the talking clock from public phones and actually speak to it. (Now I think he must have wandered in from a Patrick White novel…)

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Yes, The Shire! I spent the first 26 years of my life there. It seems a long way from Surry Hills…

Over there on the west of the map you see Sutherland itself. See how close the bush of Royal National Park comes. On the top right you will see how industry has ruined one of the most important parts of The Shire historically, Captain Cook’s landing place at Kurnell.
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