Patricia Ann Rae Dale

Interviewed by Susan Kelly on 14 October 2002
Subject: The Depression, Taronga Zoo

Patricia Dale. We spent a great deal of time in the bush being right opposite the Zoo . My elder brothers tell stories about how they used to climb over the Zoo walls and spend a lot of time. My father was a member of the Zoo and we had sort of free tickets. He used go down to the ferry every day through the Zoo and had lots of bird companions that he would talk on the way and we spent time in the Zoo.

My brothers I believe in the Depression times used to go over and raid the fruit in the gorilla cages and then mother would wonder why they weren’t hungry for dinner. But I myself spent a lot of time in that bush. We used to walk to Clifton Gardens and swim. We used to catch the tram down to Balmoral and spend a huge amount of time at Balmoral, I belonged to the swimming club, nothing has fancy but we certainly occupied ourselves very fully.