PLACE REPRESENTED: Australia
ITEM: Fridge Magnet
NOTES: The “Aussie Sheila” fridge magnet with all the phrases used by the Aussie sheila. A “sheila” is a girl.
This is a nice piece of kitsch that sends up the speech of a past Australia, not that the current vernacular, in many sections, is any better. Her outfit, down to the Ug boots, isn’t uncommon either.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2014
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: ?
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 5cm x 6cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Cairns, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Fridge Magnets
NOTES: Cairns boomerang fridge magnet with colourful tropical relief.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2014
MADE FROM: ceramic material
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: Citer Souvenirs
DIMENSIONS: 12cm long
PLACE REPRESENTED: Middlemount, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Keychain
NOTES: Middlemount is a mining town in Central Queensland, Australia. Hence the depiction of the dragline excavator. Middlemount, like many other mining towns in Queensland virtually sprung up overnight in the early 1980s. It services two large coal mines, Foxleigh and German Creek. At the 2011 census, Middlemount had a population of 1,914. It’s population, I suspect, is dependent of the fortunes of the mining industry. Maybe that’s why the image is framed in a horseshoe … for luck? If solar or green energy become a easily accessible reality who knows what will happen to Middlemount, or Queensland for that matter.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s
MADE FROM: steel
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 9.5cm length overall
PLACE REPRESENTED: Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
ITEM: Snow Globe
NOTES: Ahhh, the Opera House (and Harbour Bridge) in a snow globe. Perfectly identifiable and quite the piece of kitsch. But does it ever snow in Sydney? No cocaine related jokes necessary.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 5cm high , 7cm long
PLACE REPRESENTED: Brisbane, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Ashtray
NOTES: Brisbane’s freeway system is depicted here. The inside of the ashtray is glass and the picture can be removed. The picture is a postcard which leads me to believe that it may not have been the original, given the plaster ashtray was made in England …but who knows. Anything is possible in Brisbane.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: glass
MADE IN: England
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 9cm x 9cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania , Australia
ITEM: Cap
NOTES: Tasmania, Australia, ’nuff said.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: cotton
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: The Tasmanian Tops Co
DIMENSIONS: adult adjustable size.
PLACE REPRESENTED: Nambour, specifically the Sunshine Plantation, Nambour, Queensland , Australia.
ITEM: Plate
NOTES: The Big Pineapple just north of Brisbane, depicted in all its spledour. A State treasure.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: wood (bamboo?)
MADE IN: Taiwan
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 20cm across, 30cm high
PLACE REPRESENTED: Gold Coast, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Coin Wallet
NOTES: Cute retro coin wallet from the days before Australia had $1 and $2 coins which is why it is quite small, perhaps. In any event, it’s not an issue for a tourist as you aren’t likely to come out of the Gold Coast with any change.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: vinyl , steel (springback)
MADE IN: Hong Kong
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 8.5cm across , 7.5cm high
PLACE REPRESENTED: Magnetic Island, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Cap
NOTES: Magnetic Island off the Queensland coast (in the Great Barrier Reef) was the place to go back in the 70s (well, for Queenslanders at least). It’s still there and still very pretty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Island
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s MADE FROM: cotton
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 58cm Adjustable size.
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ipswich, Queensland (specifically The Ipswich Courthouse), Australia
ITEM: Souvenir Spoon
NOTES: The old Ipswich City Courthouse built in 1859. There have been two subsequnt courthouses built in Ipswich. Ipswich needs courthouses. The souvenir spoon may come in handy for those trying to dig their way to freedom from a holding cell whilst awaiting sentencing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Ipswich_Courthouse
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: steel
MADE IN: Australia
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 13cm length FOR