History & Culture
Monochrome images of war-torn landscapes, of dark skies and mud-laden boots trigger a distant memory of a bygone era. But not anymore. For over five years, policeman Juan Mahony persevered to revitalise a collection of World War I images, in colour, to make this slice of our history more accessible. Working alongside a team of digital artists, he made many visits to museums, studying original army uniforms and equipment from the Australian War Memorial, to achieve a real-life colour representation of individual soldiers and their stories. Juan was inspired by the 1916 death of his great uncle on the Western Front to get every detail right. He published the images in his book: The Digger’s View.
History & Culture
Anzac troops heading into conflict went armed with more than weapons. The invention of the Vest Pocket Kodak (VPK) camera, small enough to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s tunic, enabled troops to capture the true face of war. Here are some of their personal images.
History & Culture
Here are your treasured companions and hard-working canines – the best mates who take things all in a day’s work
History & Culture
For our 100th issue in October 2010, we invited celebrated Sydney artist Jim Tsinganos to weave a list of 100 national icons into a painting that would artfully incorporate all our true blue Australian emblems into a single image. In late 2013, the icons poster was spotted by a team of coin developers at the Australian Mint, led by creative director Frederica Heacock, who were working towards a new collectors’ coin that would reflect Aussie culture. Rendering a large and detailed image onto a 38mm coin while remaining faithful to the original idea proved a challenge. The coin set has been christened Distinctly Australian and was launched on Australia Day this year. There are only 30,000 available.
History & Culture
Australians have contributed some very significant firsts throughout history. Here are a few of the less well-known.
History & Culture
Aussie food classics suggests that it’s the simpler things that take our fancy. Whether at a family Christmas feast at the height of a scorching Australian summer or barracking at a local footy match in the depths of winter, Australians enjoy foods that suit our laid-back lifestyle. Here are five sweet and five savoury Australian foods that will pluck at your Aussie heartstrings to remind you of days spent around the good old Australian backyard barbecue, lounging on the beach or simply the everyday.
History & Culture
What foods has the young Australian nation pulled to its bosom and claimed as its own? Here are 10 to think about.
History & Culture
In a dramatic series of photographs, Australian photographer Frank Hurley brings to life the tribulations of Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1916).
History & Culture
When catastrophic Cyclone Tracy wreaked havoc on Darwin on Christmas day 1974, the Australian Red Cross hit the ground running. With 71 fatalities, hundreds seriously injured and thousands homeless the charity stepped up as an essential body providing vital aid. These images have just been released after 40 years in the archives. Taken by Red Cross photographer Ramon A Williams, they document the people of Darwin and volunteers pulling together in a city that was 70 per cent destroyed.
An exhibition of Williams’ images can be seen at Community Art Space at the City of Darwin Civic Centre until January 15.