The image of the swaggie, that itinerant soul who walked the roads and tracks of the land in search of work, features prominently in Australia’s stories, songs and poetry. But the swaggies we mainly read and sing about are men. In this episode Jim introduces you to Charcoal Annie and Syrian Mary, two women who experienced the life of the swaggie. Although very little is known about them, he shares the information he has gathered over the years.
He has also written a song about each of these extraordinary ladies and these are included in the podcast.
2008 marked the seventy fifth anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In this episode Jim reminisces on some 50th anniversary celebrations and discusses Dr Frank Cash, who took thousands of photographs during the Bridge’s construction. He considers the changes to North Sydney resulting from the building of the Bridge and later the Warringah Expressway. North Sydney was the suburb where Jim lived as a child.
