Woodley and Dorothy Smith

Born 1930 and 1938

Harden, NSW

“Half a loaf is better than none at all”.

Waiting out on the veranda was Woodley and his wife Dorothy. As the birds were singing, Woodley sat patiently in the warm sun, while Dorothy greeted us from the door.  The couple were from Harden, a township in the Hilltops Region of New South Wales.

Woodley and Dorothy were married back in 1959. For them, their wedding day was one of the greatest and most memorable days of their lives. It was also one of Woodley’s most rebellious moments, as he had married in an Anglican Church but come from a Catholic family.

Together, the couple had 5 children and 17 grandchildren! Of course, life now is very different to when Woodley and Dorothy were children. They told me about how clothes used to be made out...

Betty & Colin Temple

Born 1936 and 1934

Nerriga, NSW

“Keep busy, don’t smoke, pub occasionally”.

On my way to Nowra on the New South Wales’ South Coast, I caught up with Betty and Colin Temple in Nerriga, a small village in the Southern Tablelands region. I have some very fond memories of Nerriga. My parents would take us as kids to the Nerriga Horse Sports each year to compete in flag racing. We were known as the “Jackson kids” and would compete seriously every weekend, especially when it was against my brother Cameron… The night would follow with a dance in the community hall and we would all camp out. These were some of my most loved memories - riding the horses flat out, not a worry in the world!

As I arrived, I could see Betty and Colin sitting on the veranda, quad bikes parked perfectly o...

Judith Bensley
Born April 9th 1931
Young

"Be kind to people"

Judith met me on her four wheeler at the farm gate of her Nerriga road property, just ten kilometres out of historic Braidwood, the day I came to photograph her last year. At this time the area was in desperate need of rain, and still is, having endured a bitter winter with no feed for the stock on the sheep farm. Still, Judith presented to me as if nothing was too difficult to handle; a very capable lady who lives alone on the farm still, and is right now busy with lambing season. We are on the verge of drought here, but at the age of 87 Judith is no stranger to these tough conditions, having spent her life on the land.

Judith grew up at Thuddungra near Young before moving with her family to "Spring Grove" at Braidwood in the early...

Jean Morgan
Born 1925
Manly Vale

“Just believe in making the best of life”.

I would spot the beautiful Jean Morgan on our regular holidays to Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. On one occasion, I passed Jean in a little laneway not far from Manly Beach, and just had to take a photo of her! Jean was so vibrant and had such a welcoming smile. I especially loved the purse she was carrying, a real 80’s style toiletry bag.

Jean used to be a English teacher during her career. Of course, no surprise, talking with Jean you could really tell how bright and intelligent she was. Jean loved to people-watch. She would often come into Manly with her book, grab herself a coffee, and just watch the people walk on by. Jean and I both shared this fascination of people-watching. I could find myself sitting in...

Nancy Locke

Born 1930

Jerilderie, NSW

I met the wonderful Nancy Locke in her old weatherboard home in Jerilderie. Originally born in Sydney, Nancy moved to the New South Wales town of Jerilderie when she was just 3 years old, and has lived there ever since.

Nancy met her husband Norman Locke in 1946. Norman was a Barndardo boy, a term used to describe the poor misfortunate children who were taken off the streets and forced to work as child laborers on farms. Nancy and Norman were married in 1949 in a Catholic Church. It was about that year that the two moved out to a farm where they lived in tents. Nancy and her husband Norman also lived with about 5 others on 1500 acres of land. Luckily, Norman didn’t have to go back to war in Korea as they were now farming.

Nancy’s greatest inspiration in lif...

Norma Reid

Born 1935

Grenfell, NSW.

“Say your prayers at night”.

When I was presented with the opportunity to meet Norma Reid, I was very excited. It was a great feeling to know that there was another wonderful elderly Australian I could photograph from the town of Grenfell.

Norma is the sister of Tom Hazell, another gentleman I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing. Norma lived in a great spot, in a beautiful white house right on the edge of town. She was a real talkative lady, always smiling and had a nervous laugh. She wore blue eyeshadow and red lipstick and lived in the coolest retro furnished house I had ever visited.

Norma’s secret to life is to keep busy and happy, “don’t smoke or drink” she said. Norma keeps herself busy by still helping out on the farm. In her earlier years, No...

Edna Simpson

Born 1924

Grenfell, NSW.

“Now if you only had done more study, you’d have gone a lot further”.

Originally born in Dubbo, I met Edna Simpson in Grenfell, New South Wales, where she has lived since she was 12 years old. As I entered Edna’s home, she kindly offered me a cup of tea. This was something I loved about this generation, how trusting they are in others. Edna lived in a tidy house filled with beautiful antique furniture. She really struck me as an honest and humble lady. It’s a nice thought that there are many others just like her.

Edna’s biggest inspiration are her friends and family, who she couldn’t live without. Edna loved reading, watching television, and had a real passion for music, which she learned from her father. She told me that her dad had the biggest influence i...

Margaret Royds

Born 1934

Braidwood NSW

……. “If you see something needs doing, do it!”

It is not easy to introduce this wonderful lady, not only is she incredibly well known and loved in her now hometown of Braidwood, she has an enormous wealth of knowledge of the town itself and has worked tirelessly to ensure the history of the town is preserved for future generations.

Margaret had such a beautiful welcoming way about her as she invited me into her home at “Bedervale”, she made me a cuppa and we sat down to reminisce about the life she has lived up until now. She moved to this beautiful homestead in 1972 and recalls when they first arrived that there was no electricity in the house, no proper kitchen, no heating and a very little bathroom however she explained that it was her husband, Rogers’...

Catherine ‘Mary’ Hodge

Born 1926

Menindee NSW

……. “It’s better to have dust on the furniture, than dust on your brain!”

Mary met me at the door using a walking frame, reserved and humble she invited me into her home. It turns out Mary had broken her hip 12 months earlier and her greatest hope was that one day she might have a chance to walk without her frame, at 91 though she wasn’t sure that would happen.

Born in Menindee, Mary was one of 10 children and growing up on the farm they never went hungry as her father had plenty of fowl, turkeys, sheep and pigs that they would butcher to keep the family well fed. Mary credits her longevity to eating good quality healthy food and to the fact that her parents didn’t drink or smoke.

When I asked Mary what the most memorable time of her life was she rep...

Marjorie Maxwell

Born 1932

Finley, NSW

“Never trust a red-haired woman or a chestnut horse.”

With the kids in tow, I drove west towards Deniliquin on an expedition to photograph a couple for the new series. We reached Finley with ‘requests’ for a toilet stop and an icecream. I pulled over at the local Rotary run Op shop while the smalls stretched their legs. It was completely by chance that I ran into Marjorie Maxwell.  She stood out from behind the register of the shop with her grey hair, purple jumper and bright red lipstick. A warm smile broke across her face as I came through the door, drawing me in and before I knew it we were talking across the counter like old friends. She was one of those people that make you feel completely comfortable. I immediately wanted to tell her story and I tol...