John Illingsworth's brilliant Pittwater Pathways YouTube films are a boon to local residents, sharing insights and news as well as great Historical features John has clearly spent a lot of time and effort making just for a local audience - although many are enjoyed right around the world.
Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day in 2025 will be commemorated on Friday, August 15th in 2025, and will be mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender to the Allied forces in 1945. This day signifies the end of World War II in the Pacific and is a time for Australians to remember and honour the service and sacrifice of all those who served in this conflict, and particularly in the Pacific.
A combined Sub-Branches VP Day Commemoration Service will be held at the Avalon Beach RSL Cenotaph, commencing at 11.30am, led by Vice President Tamara Sloper-Harding, OAM.
In the lead-up to VP Day in Pittwater 2025, one of Mr. Illingsworths great insights into Pittwater's World War Two defences runs as the second insight.
This great photo from the collection of the NSW State Records & Archives, dated 1945, shows the submarine boom and net still in place across the mouth of Pittwater, between Barrenjoey and West Head.
John has also produced a series of films on the West Head defences during this time - well worth watching of you have not seen them already.
Another just below this, from the same great resource, now digitised and freely available, shows the same vicinity just a few months later - when campers are seen occupying Governor Phillip Park at Barrenjoey. Some of these campers became year round residents at this place, caught up in post-WWII housing and building materials shortages. The camp had also been home to many during the 1930's Great (economic) Depression when so many were made homeless and came to our area under the reasoning that at least here they could live in a tent and catch fish to feed hungry mouths or obtain work through the various work schemes the Warringah Shire Council had, in part funded by the then State Government, to build roads, rock pools or drain and fill in places like the now vanished Newport Lagoon.
Palm Beach and Lion Island [From NSW Government Printer series Pittwater] 1945 - note the submarine boom is still in place. Item FL3734311 courtesy NSW State Records & Archives
