being australian » see stuff » stories » australia’s familiar past

Login | Get involved

Share your pictures from Australia Day... Share an experience you have that feels Australian

Send Being Australian a TWEET on Send Being Australian a tweet on Twitter

Being Australian
revealed on air
(on 2SER-FM)

Your Stories

Facebook Fan Box

Join Being Australian on Facebook

16612 fans so far

Featured Member

Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon

Who's involved

Marlene Traynor from Melbourne, Vic, Australia
David Kirkpatrick from Heidelberg
Anna Bremmer from Dalby
Ripley SAVIEL from Perth WA

Audio Intro

Doug Kirkpatrick tells Sydney's 2SER-FM about Being Australian

Listen on RealPlayer while you browseRP | Windows | MP3

Featured Provider

Many local attractions

Many local attractions

FREE GIFT

FREE BAG with your first story

only 16 left

Their words...our rationale

stories

[no images submitted]


Australia’s familiar past

an experience of everyday life

Magic happens in old books. The thoughts and observations of writers long deceased come alive at the turn of yellowed pages. Deciphering antique fonts, touching dried-out leather covers and smelling aged paper, there is no more sensual bridge to the past.
 
It is surprising, however, how much of this magic still sparkles even in an electronic copy. Thanks to the digitalisation of the world’s great libraries, little treasures are now available at a mouse-click from your home computer.
 
A Swiss newspaper recently asked me to write an essay on the cultural relationship between Australia and the Old World. During my research, I stumbled on this book about Australia on Google Books. Written by an obscure German author and published in Leipzig in 1870, it got me hooked after the first few pages. The excitement was not so much because the book had opened a window into Australia’s history. It was rather because the past sounded so much like the present.
 
The author reports almost breathlessly about Australia’s remarkable economic achievements of the previous decades. The country is in the grip of a commodity boom, although the term for it at the time was ‘gold rush.’ Australia’s bustling cities are growing fast and are described as world class by the German visitor.
 
It is fascinating what the writer has to say about Melbourne in the last 1860s. Though only really established some 30 years earlier, the city already shows many of the landmarks of today’s Melbourne. The main newspapers are called The Herald and The Age; the State Library and Parliament House had just opened; and there was Chinatown in Little Bourke Street.
 
The Australians in the book come across as practical, hard-working and civic-minded. After the catastrophic floods in the Nepean district in 1867, Sydneysiders donated large amounts of money to help with the reconstruction. Apparently, the event was followed by a long discussion about building dams to prevent any such events in the future. At least Australians of the time escaped an extra tax to pay for them.
 
A dip into Australia’s history, seen through the eyes of a foreigner, is revealing. The pragmatism and egalitarianism so closely associated with Australia today are certainly not an invention of our times. Australia has obviously changed over the past 140 years, but perhaps not quite as much as we think.
 
As for the magic that is happening on yellowed pages, I couldn’t resist ordering a physical copy of the book from an antiquarian dealer.
 
Fortunately, some things have changed since the book was published: I won’t have to wait three months for it to arrive from Europe.

 
Thanks to
Oliver Marc Hartwich
on 04/02/2011 send a message to Oliver Marc Hartwich

Tell a friend about thisshare it

Pin to your profilepin it

printer friendly versionprint it

Report this for removalreport it

Bookmark and Share with friends

Other Experiences of Oliver Marc Hartwich

Migration lessons from the soccer pitch*

Other experiences of everyday life

mountain weather by dylan, harmonica on the train by dylan, Riding taxis on Sydney Harbour by Grannie, The odd sunny day in the mountains by dylan, Hanging out to dry by Doug, An Ozzie Birthday by Gard, Street Junk by Doug, She made me proud by Gillian, Equality or solidarity by Timothy, Cops on the beat by Doug, Being Australian by relaxbeauty, Our Dog by Eve, My morning concert by shorter, Urban river goes to sea by Shelley, Our Lucky Place by lexie, Spiders lurking by Douglas, New South Wales by Young Newk, What I miss when Summer ends. by Pauline, G'Day by Lion, Coming Home to Paradise by Tammi, Acceptance by joey, Behind my window by e-rad, Foggy Moments by shazzy, Being Australian by mummybec, Miss by suelovexx, high 5! by katkatkat, Paradise by darla, Why I love Australia by katkatkat, Thoughtful strangers by jodyandbenny, Aussies of All Colours by sharjoza, Anzac Appreciation by Dacapotiddi, My Little Aussie by shanny, Keeping it in the Family by Jammer86, Survival by linus, Advance Australia - Share by Anna, Celebrating Australia Day in Port Hedland by Doug, The most welcoming place by Anna1981, We are many, but we are still one by Oz_89, P-Plate by Doug, The Bay by miss maggie, Why am I here? by miss maggie, Aussies can't be bothered to say whole words. by Atalanta, So happy to be back in OZ by Pat, It's not always like the tropics here. by Atalanta, Feeding wild lorikeets on the verandah at home by Doug, Distance by Naids, being australian by bigboy, Santa In the Drink by Rosemary, Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup - Part 2 of 2 by Douglas, My job - photographer to the stars by Shelley, Puddling about in filth by Fran, Hot date with a Maytag washer in Darwin by Douglas, The Port Hedland detention centre by Douglas, Off your trolley or just fleeing it by Fran, Farmers march on the big smoke by Jimbo, Women drivers surprising the blokes at Australian mines by Matty, Telephone sockets in Australia by Douglas, Chooks in my backyard by William1, Two textures of life in Australia by William1, Community protest, Double Bay NSW by Danielle, Going on camp by Johnny, Australia Day with my family by Bunyip, ''Ta!'' by N, Being Australian by angela z., Being Australian by acklow, Freedom by sarah, mates over family by jo.l.92, We are Australian by sandysan, No worries, literally by Fibbler, I am Australian. Celebrating 4 Years in Australia by swood2, SISTERS by nay25, Discovering my family history by Ray, Aching to belong to something bigger... by Sunflower10, An Australian School Uniform by Sunflower10, The road often travelled by Andrea, Musk lorikeets, eagles, galahs and eucalypts... by Sunflower10, YAAMA by Sunflower10, A touching moment by Xue

Other experiences from people feeling curious

Lawn in the Pilbara by Doug, Big Australian Sky by Doug, By Train to Adelaide by Collin, mountain weather by dylan, Interesting Cars by potsy, Swimming Pool for One by Doug, Shark Wrestling in South Australia by Doug, Our natural bushland by sharles48, Spiders lurking by Douglas, Outdoor shower by Doug, ozzie by vikki007, Going to a classy outdoor outback loo by shazza, The rural gatepost where yarns are had by Doug, P-Plate by Doug, Weekday oasis of calm by Doug, BYOB: The wine bottle in a brown paper bag phenomena by Atalanta, Vegemite by Atalanta, Walking the streets of Sydney by Douglas, Melbourne Cup in Martin Place by Douglas, Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup - Part 1 of 2 by Douglas, Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup - Part 2 of 2 by Douglas, Some useful answers by Matty, House on stone block by Jay, A visit to the Southern Highlands by Rodney, Not ice, nor 'Ice', nor snow. Just Pilbara salt by Douglas, The Angel of Edgecliff by Fran, Copy chocolate? by Mick, Nice Fashion - if you can wear it by Fran, Telephone sockets in Australia by Douglas, Two textures of life in Australia by William1, Werris Creek Station by Douglas, Leaving their mark in stone by Douglas, TOGETHER! by Sunflower10, Musk lorikeets, eagles, galahs and eucalypts... by Sunflower10, Eureka! by Sunflower10, The Eureka Playground by Sunflower10, Cyclone Supplies by KellyJayne

Related Info

Hotel Deals - lastminutedeals.com.au, The Origin of Damask - Damask Bedlinen Collection, Mobile Computer and Laptop Repairs Melb - mobilepcrepairs.net, Sustainable Firewood - Park Orchards Garden & Building Supplies, Paper Bag Candle Lantern Party Decor - The Glass Votive Candle Shop, Wedding Car Ribbon In Many Colours - The Glass Votive Candle Shop

Search site

News

All news items...

Advertise Free

Reach a wider market - promote your product, service or event for FREE
Promote your product,
service or event here

» See demo...
» Check out this sample

Sponsor Advertising


Your Videos

Your Australian experiences on video
» Recommend a video

Featured Picture

The rural gatepost where yarns are had
'Same post; closer view of rustic charm'
posted by Doug Kirkpatrick

[click for story]

The rural gatepost where yarns are ...

Random Moments

» 

Urban river goes to sea

» 

Mateship in the aftermath of disaster

» 

Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (pt2)

» 

What a cup of tea!

» 

Chooks in my backyard

Tell a friend about Being AustralianSpread the word
Tell a friend

People talking

Are Australians growing apart or growing together?
Add your comments...

Being Australian on Google Groups
» more discussions...

List all experiences that feel AustralianList all experiences people have shared

Sponsor Advertising


 

everyone matters

 

Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Legal | Site Credits | Site Map | Contact Us | Report Errors | Your Feedback
Copyright © 1994-2024 Being Australian PTY LTD / All Rights Reserved