This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Migrant settler builds thriving orchard after fleeing war
The story follows George Blenko who fled Russia and Poland, studied law at Lemberg, then escaped Communist regimes to Australia in 1949 with Margarita. He started with little and, through relentless work from labourer to orange picker, built 750 grafted trees and 1,400 fowls near Narara, transforming a derelict farmhouse into a bustling farm, kiosk, and market dream by the late 1950s.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George
Poland
Lemberg University
Eger
Czechoslovakia
Margarita
Sydney
Greta
Narara
Gosford
Tls
York
Gosford District Hospital