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James O'Brien

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Tag: Surry Hills

With the exception of four years in Brisbane, I spent the first thirty years of my life in the country: Lismore, Bourke, Renmark and Wagga. When my career brought me to Sydney, I was really excited.

As I knew I didn’t want to live too far from work, I drew a “walking circle” (old style protractor) around Ultimo, that reached out to Glebe and Pyrmont, but I quickly settled on an apartment in Surry Hills. And even though I’m a country boy at heart, Surry Hills has pretty much become “home”.

WFH

I felt a slight bit of sadness today when I saw the email come through about returning to work. With the easing of the pandemic in Australia, my workplace has given the go-ahead for Phase 2 of the return to work plan. I saw the email header, sighed a little, moved on, and then later … Continue reading WFH

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020covid-19, Surry Hills5 Comments

Surry Laneway

"This used to be a laneway that men would pee in", I told the woman I was chatting with. She works at nearby Belvoir Street Theatre, and was really interested in the gathering of about twenty people (story-tellers) in the laneway between Crown Street and Wilshire Lane in Surry Hills. "I walk through here two … Continue reading Surry Laneway

November 13, 2020November 14, 2020Surry Hills, surry hills and valleysLeave a comment

Shops For Lease

Though there's nothing I would actually buy from these shops, I'm quite fascinated by the pop up shops appearing on Crown Street, Surry Hills. We have quite a few shops in Surry Hills that are now empty, largely due to the result of changes in retail (generally) and COVID-19. https://videopress.com/v/QAIPZHTu?preloadContent=metadata In their place, a few … Continue reading Shops For Lease

October 29, 2020October 30, 2020discarded, Surry HillsLeave a comment

View from the First Floor

My electricity bill tells me I probably used my heater far too much this year. Though we enjoy fairly mild winters in Sydney, there's usually two or three weeks where it gets quite chilly, and there's fairly regular rain. I'm trying to do my bit for the environment by reducing my carbon imprint by wearing … Continue reading View from the First Floor

October 25, 2020October 26, 2020corpus christi, greta thunberg, movies, Surry Hills, Sverige4 Comments

Daytime Connection

"Where are you?", a colleague asked me the other day as we spoke on the phone. "I'm at the supermarket. I've run out of dishwashing liquid", I told him, adding how much I love the convenience of living quite close to a shopping centre. Ordinarily, I'd only be able to visit the supermarket on a … Continue reading Daytime Connection

June 21, 2020July 22, 2020covid-19, covid19, Surry Hills2 Comments

Surry Hills Update

Living so close to the Sydney Cricket Ground, I'm always consciously aware of when there's a major sporting event or concert occurring: Cleveland Street turns into a carpark, and the pubs of Devonshire Street are always full (especially for the Sydney Test) as people make their way to and from the SCG. Back in the … Continue reading Surry Hills Update

November 18, 2019November 23, 2019Surry HillsLeave a comment

Let’s Love Life

Though I can't be sure it's his work, I'm pretty confident this is the work of a guy called Matt. (I saw him earlier in the night, ahead of this being created, and knowing the way he works, I'm sure it's him). Made from soil, you can’t help but love the sentiment in this piece … Continue reading Let’s Love Life

September 13, 2019January 17, 2021art, Surry Hills, surry hills and valleys, surryhillsLeave a comment

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Genealogy

  • Albert Bernard O’Brien and Bertha Ann Dunn
  • Allan McLean and Janet McFarlane
  • Charles Dunn and Bertha Rixon
  • Donald Laing and Sarah Higgins
  • James Laing and Isabella McLean
  • James O’Brien and Lena Noonan
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  • Robert Higgins and Ellen Triggell
  • Thomas Rixon and Jane Laing
  • Thomas Triggell and Henrietta Spencer
  • William Elliott and Mary Fitzgerald
  • William Rixon and Ann Hoare
  • William Rixon and Ellen Laing

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Born : Lismore / Widgibal – Bundjalung

Live : Sydney / Gadigal – Eora

Also : Brisbane, Bourke, Renmark, Wagga, Perth

Work : ABC Radio (Regional and Local)

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