Lilian's Tree

I write, I suppose everyone does to some extent. Shopping lists, notes, essays, letters, reports, on birthday and Christmas cards, blogs and books, all manner of writing but does that make me a writer?   Yes, No, Maybe? My trusty little Collins Australian Gem English Dictionary, give the meaning of the word writer as thus; Writer, n, one who writes; author.    So according to that I am a writer and thus I am. I ask this question because in the past few week I have read or listened to other authors explain their writing process, their struggles with getting it right, how they research, for their book(s) and how they feel as a author. I found myself nodding, in agreement with them or saying 'I do that...' Now I'm not saying I'm the next Nora Roberts or Mary Higgins Clark but in my little corner of the world, I'm Lilian Magill, Published Author! I have published  this, and this, Both of these will never be best sellers but copies of both have been

Wednesday dawned, with clear brilliant blue sky, a pleasant north-easterly breeze and little humidity. Just what is needed to start a walk through the Spring Creek Wetlands. While the blurb, in the tourist book was great, the actual signage was woeful and we didn’t end up doing the walk. It was disappointing.                                                      We did see this cute Blue Wren. The Little Blowhole was next, as the breeze was just right for it to blow. And blow it did! The Little Blowhole is a hidden gem and I think far better that its ‘big brother.’ I have yet to be disappointed with it. An interesting aside is how they are formed, with the action of air in a worn cave, becoming compressed by waves and acting like a drill, forcing a passage vertically upwards. As by now the temperature had started its climb, into the 30’s, the spray from the blows was cooling and fun. The power of the waves was awesome. This photo shows one of the sprays. Voomph!

We have just spent threes day staying at Kiama. Yes, we STAYED at Kiama, didn’t just look at the Blowhole and come back home, we explored. I had always used Kiama as the ‘comfort stop’, for the children on our trips further south. The thought of seeing if the Blowhole was blowing, a chance to get out of the car, maybe an ice-cream was enough to have them behave but the trip, back then was longer and this was a welcome break. Kiama, is on the South Coast of New South Wales, approximately a 90 minute drive, down the M1 from Sydney.     Settled in 1815 by early Cedar-getters, the first house was built in 1832. Kiama is derived form an Aboriginal word ‘kiarama,’ which means “place where the sea makes a noise.” Tuesday the 13 February saw us pack the car and start our journey. We sailed past the turnoff, around 90 minutes later and made for Gerringong, 10 kilometres south of Kiama and a stop for morning tea.   We chose the Sea Vista Café, with a great view of Werri Beach. The s

After a break, for Christmas and the New Year, today saw the group meet, for the first time in 2018, we me as the convenor.  It was great to catch-up with everyone after the break and at morning tea, there were many interesting conversations going on. I even got to, finally, meet a cousin, from my Dad's side. Our guest speaker, today was Jane Eales and she talked about her book, Secrets, Spies and Spotted Dogs.   The title had me intigued, from the start, wondering how they all fitted together. Well I'm not going to tell you, as it will spoil the story. BUT, I will give you a taste of what it is about. Imagine you are 19 years old, living away from home and you are asked for your birth certificate. You write to you parents, asking for a copy, only to receive a phone call and the request that you fly home, the next weekend. You duly arrive home, only to be ushered into you father's study and told you are adopted. So began Jane's story, one of promises made, secre

   Over the past few months I have been introduced to two new Australian authors. Louise Allan and Michelle. These ladies have both released their first novels this year and they are on the top of my MUST READ pile. Louise, lives in Western Australia, with her husband and four children and in her acknowledgements she says that the story has taken six years to write. Set in Tasmania, with a time span og seventy years, it is a story of two sisters, their relationship and music. Louise has a website, a wonderful blog and is on Facebook. https://louisejallan.com/                                               The blurb for The Sisters' Song. Michelle, also lives in Wertern Australia and is a consultant  Emergency Physician. Dustfall is set in Wittenoom, the town that was built on asbetos mining and where so many people contracted cancer. Set over a period of about thirty years, it is about two doctors and their connection to this place. Michelle gives

AMELIA NICHOLS   Amelia was born on 26 February 1811, at Prospect and was baptised on 17 March 1811 at St John’s, Parramatta. [i] Her parents were John Nichols, a First Fleeter and Ann Pugh, she was their seventh child. On 27 July 1827 she married Charles Hughes at Christ Church, Newcastle. Both signed the register with their ‘X’ mark. As she was only 16, when she married, it seems that her brother gave permission for her to marry but this isn’t mentioned on the certificate. [ii] Amelia and Charles had eight children, Thomas Dent 1828, Charles Andrew 1830, Jane 1832, Ellen 1834-1835, John Francis 1836, Sydney Joseph 1838-1839, William Edmund 1844 and Henry James 1849. They family lived in the Newcastle, Maitland area, with Charles having licences for several inns, in the area. Charles died 8 January 1869, he was 71. Amelia died on 25 June 1884, aged 73, having lived in Branxton for the previous 15 years. Her cause of death was given as Acute Hepatitis. [iii] Amelia wa