Resident remembers the families from ‘Lost Medowie’

The red lines show the existing roads of Ferodale and Fairlands, and the blue lines show the old areas that were reclaimed for the dam, and the families that resided on the properties.

FOLLOWING News Of The Area’s myth busting interview with ex-Medowie resident, Gwen Tinsley Faulkner, we take a closer look at the property areas lost to the dam.

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Gwen told News Of The Area, having lived in both areas of Medowie in the 50s and 60s, that there were few comparisons.

“Our family referred to this area of Medowie as ‘up the other end’, which was partially isolated from the main Medowie, due to location and minimal transport.”
“One bus in the morning and another in the afternoon, to suit workers, who travelled to Stockton ferry.”

“It was a nice little area, and I remember lots of the families quite clearly and who lived where before we all had to move,” she said.

She also remembers Medowie being a wonderfully multicultural town.

“The families in our area were a mixture of Australians and New Australians, post war immigrants, who mixed to form a wonderful integrated community.
“There was no discrimination apparent, and most families, especially the New Australians, started with very modest, if any, finances, and worked very hard to become successful businessmen.”

Gwen Tinsley Faulkner was able to provide, from memory, the names of a large number of family properties in the area of ‘lost Medowie’ that were reclaimed for the dam by the Water Board.

The site of the first post office in Medowie – on the corner of where Ferodale and Fairlands Roads. 2. Jones family, who also had a large orchard. 3. Moxey Family 4. Kozary family – two family homes next to each other on this site. 5. Falko Family. 6. Bannister Family. 7. Kawaskji Family. 8. Hodges Family. 9. Austin Family. 10. Swazak Family. 11. Redbrik Family. 12. Mrs Cook. 13. Tinsley Family (Gwen and her parents). 14. Rental property. 15. Douglas Family. 16. Sid Black and his son Eric. 17. Sroka Family. 18. Sasim Family. 19. Faulkner Family. 20. Mrs Villa. 21. Williams Family (Gwen’s grandparents) and their large orchard. 22. Billy Stevens. 23. Stavorak Family.

We encourage descendants of any Medowie families or early settlers to get in contact with News Of The Area and take part in our research on Medowie’s History.

By Rachael VAUGHAN