Bouddi history book launched

A book about the history of the Bouddi Peninsula has been launched at Wagstaffe by Member for Terrigal Mr Chris Hartcher.

The book, The Bouddi Peninsula: A very Special Place, was produced by the Bouddi Society and was launched at Wagstaffe Hall on Saturday, December 11.

The history covers Killcare, Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe and its surrounding Bouddi National Park.

"The book clearly reveals the nature of this strong and vibrant community'," said Mr Hartcher.

Bouddi Society president Mr Phil Donnelly paid tribute to Lee Casey for his contribution.

"It was his intellectual appreciation of the task, his journalistic skills, his rigorous attention to detail and accuracy, and his sheer dogged hard work, that was the key to this magnificent book," said Mr Donelly.

"The content of the book is a product of many years of work by a large number of local people who have provided oral history and photos of life in earlier days," said vice president of the Bouddi Society, Mr David Dufty.

"The book includes research and writing by Alan and Beryl Strom, Jill Baxter, Gosford Council librarian Geoff Potter, and the dozens of people who contributed to a CD-ROM of local history with 1300 pages and thousands of photos," he said.

"It contains 192 pages with every page well written and finely designed by editor Lee Casey and designer Lena Lowe.

"Jenny Esteban spent many hours enhancing the old photographs to book quality.

"The photos include some outstanding aerial and double page photos by local professional photographer Manfred Gottschalk.

"Financing a book of this quality was a challenge but Lee was able to encourage a number of patrons to generously support this publication," said Mr Dufty.

"Dianne Lewis handled pre-sales, which also helped to make the publication possible," he said.

"The book is not just a parochial history of interest only to local residents.

"It is a book of Australian history.

"The story begins with our first people.

"Captain Phillip enters the picture and there is a challenge in the book to the conventional view of where he spent his first night in the area.

"The early settlers are there with their struggles and privations.

"The trains come to Woy Woy.

"The land subdivisions begin and the ferries bring the holiday makers.

"So the stories continue right through to modern times where we find an active, creative community.

"The book deserves a wide audience both for its intrinsic worth and its exemplary value in demonstrating the richness of life in small Australian communities and the quality possible with local publications," said Mr Dufty.

The book is available from Velvet Blonde, Moochinside, The Bouddi Gallery, L'Anxaneta, Killcare Cellars, Killcare Beach Salon and Spa, Raine and Horne Real Estate, Ray White Real Estate, all in Killcare and the Wagstaffe General Store and Mac's at MacMasters Beach.

Media Release, 14 Dec 2010 David Dufty, Bouddi Society