Food Friends Family Sydney, in 2010 the reason for my visit was to show Joan & Bill, my friends from Wiltshire in the UK, my wonderful home town with the best harbour in the world.
This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2010.
Overnight at Port Macquarie
We stay at Port Macquarie at my brother’s home on the way to Sydney, there was a vintage car rally with some terrific examples.
On top of the world.
You may be wondering why I didn’t make the climb, well that can be easily narrowed down to one word, FEAR!
Food Friends Family Sydney
Dinner with friends at French’s Forest in Sydney.
Peter Hobbs & Peter Hesky.
A couple of friends I have known since the 70s, Peter Hobbs occasionally visits Pattaya but Peter Hesky never makes contact anymore.
Warwick Robinson, David Herd & Michael Saleh.
It’s always good to catch up with old friends when I’m in Sydney.
Peter Hobbs drinking the good stuff.
Sparkling French Champagne to wash down the pasta. 🙂
Warwick loves his food
However it caught up with him in 2013, he underwent a triple heart bypass, so much for over indulgence. 🙂 Now here is quite a coincidence, his heart surgeon was Dr Alan Farnsworth, he was captain of our rugby team at Homebush High school in Sydney & I was vice captain. From memory he was dux of the school & I struggled to pass my intermediate, however we were both pretty good footballers.
While I’m on the nostalgia kick I fondly remember our football coach Peter Philpott, an Australian leg spinner & a terrific guy.
Manly Wharf Hotel with old friend Paul Slaughter
Paul & I spent a lot of time together over the years.
Always lots of eye candy Sunday afternoon at Manly.
Drinks & Dinner at the Oaks
Dinner with Bill & Joan and my lovely niece Elyssa.
Herd family Xmas at cousin Deb’s house.
What a feast, cousin Deb really knows how to entertain.
My other nice Elyssa Xmas 2010
Fast forward to 2018 and Elyssa is the proud mother of a gorgeous little girl.
Main St Auburn NSW
The street really has not changed much in 50 years.
I grew up here at 58 Kihilla Rd Auburn
I took a sentimental journey to Auburn, the Sydney suburb I grew up in. The main st had not changed much except for the Vietnamese & Muslim establishments. My real shock came when I drove past our family home at 58 Kihilla Rd, it was now totally run down, a very heartbreaking sight for me.
Thanks for visiting my Food Friends Family Home Town Sydney photo blog.
Checkout some more of my terrific blogs on the links below.
Friends family Surfers Paradise starting with my brother Warren his lovely daughter Laura & his friend we call Mumbles. Another incredibly busy year for travel including Belem at the mouth of the mighty Amazon , Fortaleza on the north coast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios, Cabo Frio & another great trip to Tuscany & Portofino.
Two trips to Sydney including a terrific family Xmas & one trip to Melbourne for an AFL weekend. Yes, 2006 was another great year.
This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2006.
Lovely Laura
My niece Laura is a terrific singer & dancer trying to break into the big time. She won a scholarship to preform in New York which like myself she has fallen in love with the city.
My beautiful home at 106 Upton St Bundall, 4217
I designed & had my beautiful waterfront home built in 1990, I made a huge mistake in 2004 when I added a 2nd floor, it made it difficult to sell because it was too big for the average family, 500 M2 with seven bedrooms & five bathrooms. Oh well, it’s not the first major mistake in my life and it won’t be the last.
Lunch with Rossco at Omeros Brothers.
Good friend Ross Kennedy & I at Omeros Brothers, one of the best restaurants on the Gold Coast.
Drinks on my jetty with the Hoskots, Janice is an Australian girl & Dave is American, for a number of years he was a back up drummer for Bob Dylan.
A rose between two thorns.
Asuka on the left was a lovely Japanese girl from Osaka who was studying on the Gold Coast and renting a room in my home.
Robin & Les Scheffer, Janice Hoskot & Randy Fuse.
The Scheffer’s & I were good friends for many years, but in 2013 they placed my firmly on their blacklist for various infractions, you will see some others they have also placed on the list in following photos, it’s nice to have company. 🙂
Here is a classic “black list” photo.
That’s Robin at the front & four of the other six people including myself have been banished to her & Les Scheffer’s blacklist for quite a long time, as I said before it is nice to have company. 🙂 This particular day was a happy one, I have a small tradition where for many years on Good Friday I invite friends over for lunch.
Even though I was high on Les’s black list I’m sorry to say he passed away in March 2019, RIP.
Here is our Good Friday feast.
Beautiful Gold Coast fresh seafood & leg ham, salad & freshly baked bread.
Birthday lunch for Noel Smith.
At Carmody’s restaurant at the Southport Sharks club to celebrate Noel Smith’s birthday.
Sadly we have lost Noel Smith. Les Scheffer, Ian Fraser-Smith, John Woods and Ron Collier, RIP.
Xmas lunch at Melbas with the usual suspects
Greg Craig, Mike Nidrie & Noel Smith (RIP) are all regular drinking buddies of mine at Melbas.
Xmas lunch at Melbas with Lars Shitterer & Dave Hoskot, I first started drinking at Melbas on January 1st 1982 when some friends & I flew from Sydney after a huge NYE on Sydney Harbour when my boat was peppered with falling sky rockets because I stupidly anchored in the drop zone.
Jim Bell rented a room in my home for 13 years, that’s what I call a long term tenant.
Breakfast on Chevron Island with Brian Rawnsley.
Brian is a Brisbane guy I met in Thailand, here we are at Tigerlilly on Chevron Island one of my breakfast haunts.
The girls in our footy tipping club.
I ran a AFL tipping competition for 10 years, here we are at the end of year dinner.
And the winner is……..
My great friend Ross Kennedy aka “Shoeless Joe Jackson”.
My brother Ian’s 50th birthday.
Friends family gathered for Ian’s 50th birthday, here is Bryan another brother given one of his famous speeches.
Family breakfast on Chevron Island.
Two of my Brothers Bryan & Warren, Bryan’s wife Lynn & daughter-in-law Maisie.
This is Elliot, another little Herd.
Maisie’s cute little kid.
Les & Robin Scheffer marry at Saks restaurant.
A great venue for a wedding on the Broadwater at Marina Mirage.
Wedding guests at Saks.
Niggle Stopsgiving standing next to me is now firmly on the Les Scheffer‘s black list, his lady of 10 years beautiful Randy Fuse on the far right and he sadly are still doing battle. The name Geoff Pilkington’s wife eludes me & ?????
Sadly Les Passed away in May 2020, RIP.
I met these two lovely Japanese girls at Broadbeach.
Their names were Nemo & Nami, naturally I took them home to my house for lunch. 🙂
Vannessa & I at Tamborine Mountain.
It was not the fact she was excited to see me, it was very cold in the mountains. 🙂
Melbourne Cup day drinks at Melbas
David Robertson & Phil Thomson at Melbas on Melbourne Cup day watching all the gorgeous fillies getting flyblown. 🙂
Harley Bradstreet, one of my oldest friends.
Harley was preparing to leave Brisbane after a another disastrous business experience. When describing Harley, Larry Wilson a mutual friend once said “anyone can have a bad decade”. Which fitted Harley to a tee, over the many years I have known him this nice harmless fellow seemed to stumble from one disaster to another. On my boat on our eventful NYE in 1981 when rockets were falling from the sky, who was the first guy to get hit by one? Harley Bradstreet of course. 🙂 Thanks for visiting my friends family & others from 2006, check out the slideshow.
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Thanks for visiting my Friends family Surfers Paradise photo blog.
Please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history.
Adelaide 1972 exciting life for me, it seemed all the planets were perfectly in line to produce perhaps two of the best years of my life.
Planet one, I was 29 years old and in my prime.
Planet two, I was sent there by Sanyo Office Equipment to be State manager on a Sydney wage package, which was around 50% better than an equivalent Adelaide salary.
Planet three, there was an excess number of gorgeous single women waiting to be swept off their feet, and most motivated talented young Adelaide businessmen had headed to the Eastern capital cities to work, because that’s where all the head offices were with most of the top work opportunities.
Mid 70s in Adelaide
All my planets were aligned in Adelaide 1972
So here I was, the new boy in town with loads of money, motivation and truck loads of confidence. It was a similar situation to my arrival in Melbourne four years earlier except I felt decades wiser and totally bulletproof.
I remember the drive from Sydney in my blue MGB, flashing along the highway with the number one tune at the time playing over and over, American Pie by Don McLean. In some way the lyrics seemed to me to symbolize a new beginning, I was excited by the thought of new horizons to conquer, new people to meet and of course new ladies to pursue.
A long, long time ago… I can still remember how that music used to make me smile. And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe, they’d be happy for a while.
Anzac Highway Plympton
The first thing I did was rent a luxury Penthouse on Anzac Highway Plymton in the most prestigious residential building in Adelaide, it was known as “the Spanish Flats” and before too long I turned my apartment into “Party Central”.
The only Adelaide people I knew were Joyce Weir and Vera Lukic, two fun girls I had met a couple of months before while they were holidaying in Sydney. They were both very social out and about types who happily introduced me to many of “the right’ people, party animals like myself.
Another early contact was Charlie Bradley, and neighbour on the ground floor, a good style of a guy who like myself dedicated most of his spare time pursuing the fairer sex. The following year Charlie banned everyone from using that name and insisted on being referred to as Charles, obviously much more refined.
Vera Lukic & Joyce Weir
Two great ladies, sadly Vera passed away around 2012, Joyce lives in Sydney and I still often see on Facebook.
Drinks with friends at Plympton
My circle of friends started to swell exponentially due to these early contacts, and soon ten minutes on the phone was all it took to arrange the next party at my Penthouse. Along came a host of new friends, Wolf Wottke, Graham & John Farquhar, Mike Poulter, Dave Brooker, Dick Wilkins, Ronny Walsh from Broken Hill, Steve Rado, Jan Seagars, Dianne Butson and many others, but more about them later.
Steve was my flatmate in the Penthouse and was I think often quite shocked by the constant shenanigans. A great guy who now in 2015 lives on the Sunshine coast I think. We stay in touch on Facebook, this photo was from 1979 in Sydney.
How time flies when you are having fun, 41 years have past between the previous 2 photos.
This shot was actually in 1975
Taken at Dick Wilkins home in 1975, I thought it was worth including as all the people were close friends when I lived in Adelaide. Angella Savic, Hank Wottke, Di Parkinson & Trevor Beech.
Richard (Dick) Wilkins Adelaide 1972 life
Dick Wilkins was a terrific guy who lived one kilometre away on Cross road Edwardstown, probably the only guy I knew who threw more parties than I, (a lot more) so between the two of us it was nonstop hedonistic heaven.
Angella Savic & Wolf Wottke
Wolf became my best friend while I was living in Adelaide 1972, he eventually left Adelaide and moved into my apartment in Sydney around 1983. Angella also moved to Sydney and became a Qantas hostess, a job I believe she still does to this day. Wolf & Angie were an item for a few years then he hooked up with Jenny, another Greek girl in Sydney. They are still together today.
My favourite Adelaide girl Adelaide 1972 amazing life
Di Butson was a beautiful girl with a lovely nature, if I ever should have married a lady it would have been Di. However at that time of my life in Adelaide 1972 I was just too wild & committed to being single to change my status. Over the years however I sometimes think of Di & how different my life could have been.
Perhaps Glenn Frey can help me here
Dianne’s 21st birthday
Di was one of the nicest ladies I ever knew, I often wonder how life turned out for her.
Did I mention Di was a dancer?
Di was also a teacher with Arthur Murray dance studio in Adelaide.
Jan Seagars & Baxter
Here are three of my favourite memories from when I lived in Adelaide 1972, Jan Seagars, Baxter my red Doberman & my wonderful E-Type Jaguar. Baxter & the Jag came with me to Melbourne in 1974 then on to Sydney in 1976, sadly Jan did not. 🙂
My apartment block and the ones on either side became our own self contained fun park; I could write a book just based on the events that took place there. Six or seven of my friends all ended up living in the complex. One great looking 18 year old was living in the block next door, her name was Jan Seagars and her boyfriend was a well known Norwood football player named Des Flavel.
Jan & I had a nice arrangement going, Des would leave for work at 8 am, and if my bedroom blind was open 50%, it would mean I was alone and she was welcome to visit. Which she did on many occasions, this gave me just enough time for a “quickie” before opening the Sanyo office in Grote St at 9am. Jan had recently won the title of Miss South Australian Beach Girl and at 18 years of age was as close to perfect as a girl could get.
Here is Jan 40 years later in October 2014
Here we are at my friends Droama vineyard 40 years later. Now known as Jan Klain she is still the life of the party.
Check out the red outfit, what was I thinking?
Here I am at Darwin airport with Arch Wilkey & the Ansett hosties from my flight. On the right is Sue, Leah is in the middle & I forget the name of the blonde on the left. Arch was a well know footballer with North Adelaide. Now you can laugh all you want at my crazy red outfit, but I soon got rid of it as you will see in the next photo taken a couple of hours later. 🙂
R.I.P Arch
North Adelaide premiership player Arch Wilkey died on the 29 th September 2007 at the age of 61 after a long battle with an inoperable brain tumour. Arch played 73 games for North Adelaide between 1966 and 1974 and was a member of the 1971 premiership side. He was a mercurial footballer who epitomised the North Adelaide style of the late 1960s.
North were renowned as a high marking, long kicking side full of brilliant players and Arch fitted the mould perfectly. It is contended that Arch was the first player to make the number 23 as famous as it is today – being followed by the likes of Michael Jordan, Dermott Brereton, Shane Warne, David Wildy and Andrew McLeod. No doubt each was inspired by Arch’s brilliance as an athlete and chose to wear “his” number.
In his early career he played mainly at half forward but when Mike Patterson came to the club Arch played more as a defender. Injury curtailed his career. He missed the complete 1972 season with a knee injury, and after playing in the 1973 preliminary final missed the Grand Final with injury.
He retired in 1974 and moved to Darwin to live. As much as Arch was remembered as a brilliant player, he was also known as a wonderful and happy character. Soon after he moved to Darwin, Cyclone Tracey hit. When asked what it was like, Arch replied that it was almost as scary as playing Port at Alberton.
On the way to Manton Dam
Adelaide 1972 exciting life with Leah & Sue
Manton Dam 70 Kms south of Darwin
Leah & Sue at Manton dam
Lets see more of Leah 🙂
Those were the days my friend we thought they would never end.
Bob (Fatty) Francis
Another old friend of mine was well know DJ Bob Francis, he retired in 2013 after 57 years in Radio. This photo was from 1997, sadly I just received the news in November 2016 that Bob has passed away peacefully in his sleep, RIP old mate.
Thanks for visiting my Adelaide 1972 exciting life photo blog.
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