Hills Voices Online

In this episode, we interviewed Steven Dunesky, a former employee of Baulkham Hills Shire Council. He reflected on growing up in the Hills District during the 1950s and 1960s, and on his long career with Council, including his work as Parks Operations Manager.

In this episode, we spoke with Wolf Bickel, a former Baulkham Hills Shire Council employee, who reflected on growing up and working in The Hills from the 1950s, his long career with Council, and the ways safety standards, technology and work practices changed as the area evolved from farmland to suburbia.

In this episode, we talk with John Barker, who worked for many years as the Council Engineer at Baulkham Hills Shire Council and saw the area change from farmland into a busy urban community. From subdivisions and industrial growth to the M2, Norwest Business Park, and modern civic facilities, John Barker shares an insider’s view of the engineering, challenges, and rapid change that shaped today’s Hills Shire.

In this episode, Sonya reflects on her long career helping shape The Hills Shire, from stabilising finances and modernising services to heritage projects, and major initiatives like the eastern ring road and the Shire’s renaming. She shares what the Council was like in the 1990s, key political moments, her charity work, her support for The Hills Libraries, and the challenges of being a councillor and Mayor.

In this episode, we interviewed former Baulkham Hills Shire Mayor, Councillor Geoff Brooke‑Cowden, who reflected on his medical career, his experiences living in Baulkham Hills, his time on the Council, and the contributions he made to the community.

This episode features the late Les Shore, former Baulkham Hills Shire Councillor and President, talked about his early life in Glenorie, his role as Castle Hill Public School Principal, and his contributions to the local community.

In this episode, West Pennant Hills resident Jack Smith takes us on a time travel journey back to the 1930s. Jack shares stories about his family, his parents, and the local farms, shops and many other aspects of the local life. Through his recollections, we learn how West Pennant Hills has evolved over the years.

In this episode, we spoke with Bon and Noel Lennon, longtime residents of Wisemans Ferry. They shared memories of their old neighbours, the local social scene, rich history of the local area, and the impact of the devastating 1978 flood. Their recollection took us back to Wisemans Ferry in the 1970s and 1980s.