Must have for Xmas

Local historian and author Gerard Benjamin has released his latest book New Farm 50 Stories just in time to make sure it makes it under the Christmas Tree.

Gerard said his previous books, Reflections on New Farm (co-written with the late Gloria Grant), 2008, and Homes with History on the New Farm Peninsula, 2015 are still available at local bookshops.

The popularity of these books (“Reflections” selling over 4000 copies) is due to the theory that every second person in Brisbane has a New Farm connection, for example, grannie used to live there; or someone flatted there as a student or when first married. It still seems to hold true today.

Also, the locality appears to have a high ‘suburb recognition factor’. Most people in Brisbane know where New Farm is and enjoy meeting at a cafe or at New Farm Park.

This all adds to the general interest in the history of the area.

When the latest book was launched at the November meeting of the New Farm & Districts Historical Society, almost 120 attended and people queued to have their copies signed.

The cover features David Hinchliffe’s vibrant painting of a jacaranda in Newstead Park completed in late October — and the immediate reaction is, “Love the cover!”

David Hinchliffe, who was the local Councillor during 1988-2012 and helped establish the Historical Society in 1994, also wrote the Foreword. His summation? “Gerard’s pithy vignettes about the events and lives of early residents make us yearn for more.”