Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Lionel's story about the Gap Storm

The storm hit the Gap very badly and a lot of houses were damaged. I went up there and volunteered on Sunday and gave a hand to clean up.

I used a chain saw with a twelve inch blade. I showed them how to use the chain saw really quickly and easily and safely, so no one would get electrocuted by the power lines or anything else.

They got 3 heavy duty cranes in to lift up the logs from the power lines. Then I showed them how to put the straps on the ends of each log and how to leave a gap for the chainsaw. Then I cut it in half so the log wouldn't go back on the power lines. Then I said: " Right boys I've showed you how to do it, quick and easy so you won't get electrocuted.' One of the guys said: "Good idea."

Then I said: "Here boy, have a go" - I watched him and he did it the way I showed him. It was pretty good.

I didn't think he would have the guts to use the chainsaw and cut the log but I was glad to see he did and that I had shown him how to do it.

I hope all the people up there go back to their own homes.

Monday, October 6, 2008

4AAA Kiosk Community Interviews - Wed 8th Oct - 2:00pm

On Wednesday 8th October at 2:00pm we'll be collecting stories about places and spaces in West End as part of our West End Digital Story Spaces Project.

We need your stories about the special places and spaces of West End so please drop down to the 4AAA Kurilpa Kiosk, 195a Boundary Street (opposite the Goanna) around 2:00pm and donate a story.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Old Shops

One of the landmarks of West End used to be the roundabout at Melbourne, Boundary, Mollison and Browning Streets. Now all of that remains of the roundabout is the Roundabout Cafe. Which is a bit like - all that remains of the Gun Shop is the Gunshop Cafe. There was a big campaign to save the roundabout.

The Gun Shop closed down in the late 90's. 'There was a story that a bloke went in and bought a gun and that he was going to come down Boundary St and kill people but luckily the coppers went around to his place and stopped him.'

There used to be a shoe repair shop called Brandons on the corner of Melbourne and Browning Streets. After the shoe repair shop there was a cafe where you could play records and experiment with making different sounds. There was also a pizza shop nearby. It was called Enzo's.

Emma's bookshop used to be in Vulture Street. Next to the bookshop was a fantastic deli. The Tru Value hardware shop was on the corner of Boundary and Vulture Streets. 'Cash Converters' was on the corner where the old hardware shop was for a while.

There have been so many changes in the last while it's hard to keep up to date.
From discussion with George, Kenny and David

Boundary Street - the best place in West End

I like Boundary street because there shops and things to see and i go to the coffee van on wednesday night. drugarm runs the coffee van.
Contributed by George

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Fruit shop

Vietnamese Bakery

David buys sausage rolls here. "They are good, delicious, and they are cheap!" They always have plenty in stock. Malcolm says that it's the only place in West End where you can get long wholemeal hot dog rolls and that lots of people come here from other places. They always have lots of customers because, as Malcolm says:' the prices are really good.'

Ted said that one time there was a fire in the ovens and they had to shut the place down for a few days till it was fixed. Ted used to be a baker, at Tip Top. Daryll's father was a baker and he worked at Tip Top too.

John sometimes wakes up during the night - that's when they're baking - he buys a pizza or something from them as well. He likes it that he can get up and get something even when it's night, so long as you have the correct change, even at 2am! Peter says just give them a call.

When Karen wants to impress someone and look like she knows all about flash cakes she buys a fruit flan from the Vietnamese bakery. No just joking! It's really when she wants to share a lovely cake with people. Now who told Karen about the beautiful fruit flans? Margaret of course! And at that stage they were only $7.

Malcolm knew a couple who ran a snack bar in Charlotte St and they were complaining about how their baker wasn't very good and so Malcolm suggested they use the West End Vietnamese bakery - and a few months later he saw them in West End and they said how fantastic it was.
Contributed by David, Ted, John, Malcolm, Margaret and Karen

Triple A Kiosk


'Sometimes I hangout at the kiosk and I talk to people and staff. I stay for a few hours and then I go to other places like LANDS (Logan and Northern Districts Services - in Vulture St) after that. I like the kiosk because it's a good place to catch up with people.' George

'The kiosk is needed in West End because it helps not only Indigenous people but locals as well. The staff, Joe, Peter, Sally, Maya are great and do good work.' David S.


View Larger Map

Sussex Street


The Sussex Street Uniting Church Hall is the scene of many activities of West End Community House. For that reason it is a favourite West End space for George Moraitis.


What's George up to in the Sussex Street Hall space this year? You can find out on George's podcast:
http://westendstories.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-09-09T04_43_43-07_00

St Mary's


Tuesday, August 19, 2008

West End rights

'West End is the only area with a better bus service than where I live - at Dutton Park off Gladstone Road.

The local politicians or gun fighter stands up for the rights of the inhabitants of West End.'
Anonymous

West End Fruit Shop

I live at West End and I work down at the fruit shop with Tony and Johnny. I live at Liliput. I've been in West End for at least 3 months.

We do deliveries and take fruit around to peoples houses in the new truck. I help Tony and Johnny.

I start work at 4 or 5 in the morning when we load the shop up and put everything like vegies and fruit in the shop.
Ernie Vascotto

Living at West End

My name is Robert McNalty. I live at 38 Colville St, West End. This project is excellent. I like it because it is really excellent. I really like the kitchen in Colville Street because there is really good food there.

I like going to Coles with my friend Ken. He buys me a lot of coffee. I like going down to South Bank and meeting my friend, the Robot Girl. Her name is Pollie.
Robert McNalty

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

New Faces

It was great to have some new people join us last night - a big welcome to Richard, Dave and Lyn. We spent the evening catching up with each other, adding to our Google Map of West End and doing some podcasts. It was lovely to hear Anne recording her recollections of Tristrams. John came along with a painting which we were going to photograph but instead he shared one of his witty poems. We'll be adding it soon to our podcasts.

As we added places to the map someone mentioned the scrub turkeys in Colville Street. I always think it's great that in a place so close to the centre of the city we still end up talking about scrub turkeys! Some of us have even seen them wandering across quite busy roads around West End.

When we next meet in a fortnight's time (19th August) we'll have a look at MySpace, check out the comments feature on the blog, join some group members so more people can contribute, take some photos and get some permission forms from newcomers.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Tristrams Please Podcast



West End - Favourite Places

Eddie, Jonathon and John
When we met on July 22nd we all talked about our favourite places in West End and beyond. Here's a list of some of them:
  • Robbie, Lionel, Kenny - Highgate Hill especially Colville St (that's home!) Kenny also likes the Emigres coffee shop
  • Anne and Apples - all of West End
  • Margaret - Daventry Street
  • Terry - Emigres coffee shop
  • David - TAB
  • Malcolm - Albertos
  • Peter - the flying saucer artwork outside the Commonwealth Bank in Melbourne St.
  • Daryll - the goanna sculpture
  • Karen - the Greek tailors in Vulture St where they do alterations to clothes
  • Jason - the pub
  • Eddie - the coffee shop and the food van and South Bank
We are checking out Google Maps.
View Larger Map

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

We made soft drinks

When I was a child in the 60's we'd drive to my aunty's who lived at the Gap. We went in our little blue VW. Mum, Dad, myself and my two brothers. We'd go past Tristram's on the way, before we crossed the William Jolly bridge. I'd wait for the moment, cause I'd know the building would be coming up.

I always had a fascination with its architecture even though I was just a kid. I'd watch the trucks with the old wooden crates and the bottles all stacked up - I loved the fact that it was a Brisbane based company. I loved the pineapple drink. Golden Circle might have made pineapple too but it's the Tristram one I always remember.

It made me feel like Brisbane was really important - WE MADE SOFT DRINKS! It's great that the building is still here.
Anne Parker

West End favourites - Peters Icecream



In the early 1950's we came to visit the Peter's icecream factory.
At the time I didn't know it was in West End but I did know that it had a huge icecream cone on the lawn out the front! Yum!

After you went for a slightly boring walk through the factory if you were young and handsome (like Malcolm!) you were given a free icecream. And then there was
the Tristram's soft drink factory - just down the road. But that's another story!



Malcolm 'Have a Heart' Campbell

We Like West End (and Port Augusta)!

John - coffee shop, Ernie - I love West End fruit shop, Rob - Colville St, George - Southbank, Lionel - cattle stations (Lionel's not really a West End boy! He's from Port Augusta!) Jonathon - Mater Hospital (and Jonathon also loves the Ekka, it's nearly Ekka time!)