Hills Voices Online

In this episode, we speak with Nathan Smith, an environmental filmmaker who grew up in Kenthurst in the 1980s. Nathan reflects on a childhood spent exploring the bushland of The Hills, the making of his documentary Life in Our Backyard, and his experiences filming local wildlife. He also discusses his passion for raising awareness of the area’s natural heritage and the threats posed by ongoing urban development.

In this episode, we speak with Wayne Merton, former MP for Carlingford and Baulkham Hills, about his path from solicitor to Liberal Party politician. He reflects on his time in public life and his advocacy for the transport infrastructure that helped shape The Hills, including the M2 Motorway, upgrades to Windsor Road, and public transport projects supporting the region’s rapid growth.

In this episode, we spoke with Judy and Alan Cadman. Alan Cadman was the former Federal Member for Mitchell. In this interview, Alan and Judy reflected on their lives as orchardists, community leaders and long-time residents of The Hills District. They discussed the challenges and innovations of running a family fruit-growing business, the changing agricultural landscape of the region, and Alan’s transition from farming and community service to a 33-year career in Federal Parliament representing Mitchell.

In this episode, we interviewed Wal Buckley, a former Baulkham Hills Shire Council Health and Building Surveyor. Wal Buckley reflected on his long career in local government and the dramatic transformation of The Hills Shire from a largely rural, orchard based district into a modern suburban and commercial center.

In this episode, we interviewed Steven Dunesky, a former employee of Baulkham Hills Shire Council. He reflected on growing up in the Hills District during the 1950s and 1960s, and on his long career with Council, including his work as Parks Operations Manager.

In this episode, we spoke with Wolf Bickel, a former Baulkham Hills Shire Council employee, who reflected on growing up and working in The Hills from the 1950s, his long career with Council, and the ways safety standards, technology and work practices changed as the area evolved from farmland to suburbia.

In this episode, we talk with John Barker, who worked for many years as the Council Engineer at Baulkham Hills Shire Council and saw the area change from farmland into a busy urban community. From subdivisions and industrial growth to the M2, Norwest Business Park, and modern civic facilities, John Barker shares an insider’s view of the engineering, challenges, and rapid change that shaped today’s Hills Shire.

In this episode, Sonya reflects on her long career helping shape The Hills Shire, from stabilising finances and modernising services to heritage projects, and major initiatives like the eastern ring road and the Shire’s renaming. She shares what the Council was like in the 1990s, key political moments, her charity work, her support for The Hills Libraries, and the challenges of being a councillor and Mayor.

In this episode, we interviewed former Baulkham Hills Shire Mayor, Councillor Geoff Brooke‑Cowden, who reflected on his medical career, his experiences living in Baulkham Hills, his time on the Council, and the contributions he made to the community.

This episode features the late Les Shore, former Baulkham Hills Shire Councillor and President, talked about his early life in Glenorie, his role as Castle Hill Public School Principal, and his contributions to the local community.