Continuing on with last week's article regarding the beginning of success for Amandus, his sons and other settlers at Orara, Ian this week takes a look at how Amandus' impatience led to him building his own separator to produce cream for sale. Click through here to read full article. There are specific dates for some … Continue reading
Success at Last for our Pioneering Ancestors
Hi Everyone, We have read about how hard it was for our early pioneers in the Orara Valley, they were very isolated with few resources and were self reliant within their small community. This week Ian's research shows us how the tide started to turn for them and the role that Amandus played in progressing … Continue reading
The party rages on at Orara
So tell me, when you think about a raging party happening over 120 years ago what would you picture? A quiet event finishing early in the evening perhaps? How about a raging party that had over 300 guests and started with athletics in the morning and continued with dancing through until 4am?! Seems the early … Continue reading
A Terrible Tragedy
Hi Everyone, This week's post tells the story of a very tragic time for the Hoschke family, when the third son of Amandus and Mary passed away under tragic circumstances. You can only imagine how traumatic this must have been for his whole family. Following on from the Trove tutorial that Ian wrote recently, he … Continue reading
Timeline of the Hoschke Family
Hello everyone, This week we have started a timeline of our family in Australia, which we will progressively update as new information is shared. Click here to read the beginnings of our timeline, which we will also pin to the side toolbar >>>>. This week's image is a gorgeous photo of Amandus with two of … Continue reading
Progress Associations
Can you imagine what it must have been like for the first settlers of the Orara Valley? How hard they must have battled to not only clear the land but petition for resources such as roads, a school, post office and even the jetty at Coffs Harbour. This week Ian has taken a deep dive … Continue reading
Houses and Fences Made of Timber by the First Settlers
Article and photos by Ian Hoschke - March 2016. When the Hoschke family, and others, first came to Orara the land was covered by sub-tropical rainforest. The land purchase was conditional on it being cleared and fenced. They had little money and the nearest shop was a day’s walk away. They needed to build a … Continue reading
Book Orders
For those who missed making a request or would like additional copies then there will be a limited number of copies available. Please place your request through the web site or call Ian on 02 9913 3313. Thanks to everyone who has ordered a copy of the book / photos. We have been able to place … Continue reading
Hoschke Family in Australia 