Just like Bill the Steam Shovel billowing black smoke choking poor old Mr Squiggle, Ray Dinneen's yesteryear call for bulldozers to descend upon our grand Newcastle post office brought tears of near-rage to my eyes, as I envisioned myself chained to sandstone parapets and dozers ("Bulldozer might be best for the old post office", Letters, 28/9).
But then I splashed some water from a nearby heritage bubbler on my eyes and calmed down, realising that, in retirement, Dinneen was boxing clever with his recent letter.
Nevertheless, the letter invokes our steadfast resolve to protect our built heritage and hold to account those charged with the critical caretaking responsibilities at every step.
Our Newcastle Post Office must not be allowed to burn down, be bulldozed or made derelict through neglect. Thinking more constructively, I purport that it would make a perfect CBD focal heritage building atop a subterranean very fast (or slightly-faster) train terminal tunnelled to us.
If not, perhaps move council offices from Newcastle West to the revamped building, with a monorail to City Hall. I'm joking.
Well, except for the bit about chaining myself to anything to save our glorious Newcastle Post Office, and the responsibility we all share to look after Our Town.
Dayne Steggles, Merewether
City jewel can shine again
Noooo Ray Dineen, ("Bulldozer might be best for the old post office", Letters, 28/9), I can't agree that we should bulldoze the old Newcastle Post Office as it has been left in disrepair for too long. Yes, I feel the same frustration as you and many other Novocastrians when looking at that site and wondering if we will ever see it become the grand building it once was. It was grand and can be again.
I worked in that building in the eighties as both a telegram delivery and a counter assistant, and then I progressed to telegraph accounts upstairs in my own office. All of those jobs are now redundant with the invention of far speedier communications.
We took great pride in having a philatelic section and we dealt with telephone applications and hundreds of parcels, especially at Christmas when the lines of people grew longer every day. I was told that I was the first female deliverer of telegrams since WWII. A real privilege. There was also a very busy phonograph and telegraph section upstairs.
I knew that old building well, from the pigeon poo veranda to the bowels of the place, through to the beautiful internal atrium to the basement. It wrapped itself around all who entered, especially the staff and, although parts of it had been modified to suit changing postal needs, it survived and should survive today. Maybe Ross Kerridge can have a word with Jerry Schwartz. (He has inherited a long list).
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Anthem suggestion falls flat
It was interesting to read Garry Linnell's column ("Anodyne anthem really gets my girt", Herald, 28/9).
Certainly, Australia's national anthem is not anywhere near the musical heights achieved by both the French and US national anthems. However, his suggestion of I Am Australian is far off the mark. Being a journalist and predominantly dealing in words has possibly led him down this path.
Musically, the verse is nothing, but the chorus does have merit. The problem is, the chorus is only eight bars of music, nothing approaching what would be needed for an anthem. Think, for example, when the anthem is played at Olympic presentation ceremonies. Only the music is played, not the lyrics. Eight bars will never cut it and repeating them would be embarrassing.
Would Bruce Woodley be prepared to rewrite the music for the verse? I think not.
Yes, maybe the time is right to rethink our anthem, however, Linnell's suggestion, and I have heard it from others, is not the answer.
Michael Stevenson, Warners Bay
New era for council
The photo by Marina Neil of the City Hall must be a few years old ("Incoming council plans to spend time back in City Hall", Herald, 28/9). The clock hasn't been working for years.
It is symbolic though, of a previous era when our civic leaders took pride in the city's heritage and prioritised the maintenance of community assets.
Let's hope there is a renewed focus on what matters most to those who live and work here and our world-renown, income-generating assets, like Queens Wharf, are no longer left to decay ("Empty wharf building targeted by vandals", Herald, 28/9).
Christine Everingham, Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
Researchers not needed for price check
Coles and Woolies prices are almost identical and Aldi prices are cheaper ("Shopping around could help lower prices for all", Herald, 27/9)? What a startling revelation. Who did this research? Because I really think it could've been carried out by absolutely anyone who has ever shopped at all three stores.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Wave seen on fateful day
Brian Cook reminded me that I had seen the earthquake "wave" when I was watering my lawn where I was living at the time ("Wave of curiosity about quake", Letters, 27/9). My family were inside the house and didn't make much comment about what had happened. I was living at Noraville on the Central Coast. The evening news was consumed with what had happened in Newcastle and determined that I had seen the earth movement from the devastating earthquake.
Pat Garnet, Wickham
Has all hope flown?
It is all fine and well to condemn people for flying the flag of a murderous terrorist organisation like Hezbollah, but why do we allow the flag of "a rogue state intent on annihilating an entire population" to be flown? Has anyone considered the terrible acts of October 7, 2023, were a revenge attack? What does the future hold?
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
Stick with anthem we know
I disagree with Garry Linnell's claim that Advance Australia Fair is one of the world's clumsiest and difficult-to-sing-along-with national anthems ("Anodyne anthem really gets my girt", Herald, 28/9). In my view, his suggestion of replacing it with I Am Australian contradicts what he says a national anthem should be. I believe an anthem should be a song of national praise, pride and patriotism. Advance Australia Fair proclaims these virtues much more concisely and meaningfully in two verses than eight verses of I Am Australian. Let's stay with the anthem we already know.
Peter Newey, Waratah
Bouquets for local media
NOW that the dust has settled with council elections, I congratulate Ross Kerridge and his team, and welcome the change. Also, I think it is important to thank the journalists of the Newcastle Herald. Their dedication and frequent updates in keeping the ratepayers informed with local affairs has been outstanding in my opinion. With retrenchments and redundancies happening all too frequently in most work areas, we should never lose sight of the importance of local media. Well done.
