Join us to hear the story of local historian Anne Field's unusual tribute to her Grannie via a Message in a Bottle released into the ocean 100 years to the day that her Grannie sailed through the same waters on her immigration journey to Australia.

Anne Field is a former local secondary Social Science teacher , Local Government Councillor at Rockdale Council and then Kogarah Council, and a local historian as the author of the History of Moorefield Racecourse Kogarah, Sydney, Australia ( 1888-1951).

She took to the high seas twice in 2012 as a special tribute to her Scottish Grannie, who had sailed on the Pakeha from London to Sydney in 1912. Her Message in a Bottle was first committed to the Southern Ocean out of Albany, Western Australia on April 19 2012, and then recommitted out of Eden, New South Wales on September 30 2012. There are some interesting twists and turns in the story.  A story of adventure , which honours the bravery of our early immigrants, and acknowledges our social history.

The planning of Anne’s amazing adventure was made easier by the fact that she had her Grannie’s detailed log from her 1912 journey to Sydney. Grannie’s bottle is still at sea over ten years later . Anne wishes that she could have put a tracker on the bottle so that she would know where it is!

Skill Level: All

About the presenter:

Anne was a Social Science teacher, who spent 35 years of her 36 year teaching career at St George Girls High School in Kogarah before retiring in January 2012.

She has had extensive involvement in to local community and has also been a member of SAG since the mid- 1980’s. Anne joined the Rotary Club of Rockdale in the late 1980’s and became its first female President in 1991. She later joined the Rotary Club of Bexley and became its first female President in 2000.

Anne was elected to Rockdale Council in 1991 and then to Kogarah Council in 1999. She retired from Kogarah Council in 2008 .

Upon retiring from her teaching role , Anne continued with her research with Moorefield Racecourse , Kogarah and launched her long awaited book on the 65TH anniversary of the last Moorefield race meeting in July 1951. She has given many talks on this subject to community groups.

Anne has travelled widely throughout Australia and overseas. She has owned Cavalier King Charles Spaniels since 2001, sometimes owning 3 at a time.

Anne received a Tribute with a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament in early 2012 for her services to education, the community and Local Government.

You can read more about Anne's projects and books at her website http://www.annefield.net.au

Photo by Jayne Harris on Unsplash

This webinar will be recorded so you can join live or watch the recording later.