Books by the Bay

22/05/2026

The classic Melbourne Milk Bar, Melbourne (1969)

This classic 1969 Melbourne milk bar scene instantly captures a piece of everyday suburban life that feels deeply nostalgic today. I can imagine locals stopping by for milkshakes, newspapers, lollies, ci******es, and quick conversations throughout the day. Milk bars were once central gathering places within Melbourne neighborhoods, especially for teenagers and families during the post-war decades. The bright signage, product displays, and casual atmosphere reflected the style and culture of the late 1960s perfectly. These small corner shops carried a strong sense of local identity and community connection. This image beautifully preserves a fading piece of Melbourne suburban history and culture.

22/05/2026

Very sad news:

The loss of feels bigger than the closing of a bookshop. It feels like the dimming of something essential. Nearly every great coastal village around the world has a local bookstore tucked somewhere among the cafés, galleries and sea air… a place where people wander slowly, conversations begin between shelves, children discover stories that stay with them forever, and locals return not just to buy books, but to feel connected. That a beloved independent bookshop can no longer survive in an affluent coastal town like Sorrento should stop all of us in our tracks.

Bookshops are not just retail spaces. They are cultural anchors. Sanctuaries from noise. The quiet heartbeat of a community. Antipodes gave the Peninsula more than books. It gave people a place to think, gather, dream, learn, create, and belong. An era is ending, and it leaves a very real ache behind.

Thank you to Jane and the entire Antipodes team for protecting that little world for as long as they could. 📚

07/05/2026

https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/independent-bookstore-revival-amazon-decline-local-retail-reading-trends/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRo8TFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXSHBWVWI2UDZJOGxoWTF4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoQ4q8wFKqaeQ16RwFS98zCdbF2AI1Rl7zrr9MFzbA2yxcgrYgfoFF-YNUw7_aem_yuzToExs2XX-Zfu-OcSp-A

Americans fight back against big tech.

04/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1281879240650346&set=a.638623138309296

The teacher’s final wish helps students one last time through a beautiful request. 🎒💛

Tammy Waddell spent thirty years teaching children in Georgia... and even in her final moments, she was thinking about students who needed help. When she passed away in 2018, her last wish was simple but incredibly moving. She asked everyone attending her funeral to bring a backpack filled with school supplies instead of flowers. Her goal was to make sure kids in need would be supported for the upcoming school year.

On the day of her funeral, the church pews were lined with around one hundred thirty backpacks... each one packed with notebooks, pencils, markers, and everything a child might need. More than one hundred teachers who had worked with Tammy over the years stepped in as honorary pallbearers. They carried each backpack out of the church and back to their schools... making sure the supplies went straight to the children who needed them most.

Her family said this request felt exactly like who she was... someone who always cared more about helping others than getting attention. Tammy’s final wish left behind a legacy of kindness that still inspires people today. If you could honor someone’s memory with an act of giving... what would you choose to do?



References:
Project Connect Georgia... Community Donates Backpacks In Honor Of Teacher Tammy Waddell
CNN News... Teacher’s Funeral Filled With School Supplies For Students In Need
People com... Georgia Educator Requests Backpacks Instead Of Flowers
USA Today... Teacher’s Final Wish Helps Hundreds Of Underserved Students

27/11/2025

Going on local radio station 3RPP Friday 28th at 12.15pm to talk local Mornington history books.

Send a message to learn more

26/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1319199406872624

Send a message to learn more

14/07/2025

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/10-countries-with-the-lowest-rates-of-literacy/ss-AA1ItPjz?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=f7c7108ee749469bc95f4947605fe9c6&ei=16 =8

10 Countries with the Lowest Rates of Literacy

02/01/2025

Books by the Bay is open and fully operational - Wednesday to Sunday 10-4pm.

03/11/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKElYPkaQr8

from At Last The 1948 Show (1967)

30/10/2024

Didn't like the colour scheme:

"In the wrong place, you will never be appreciated."

07/10/2024

https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/other/a-complete-guide-to-the-best-classic-books-that-need-to-be-added-to-your-reading-list/ar-AA1oLUBp?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=957fcf7c1acd4249941e22da4b6f2ada&ei=58

All handpicked by The Weekly… The post A complete guide to the best classic books that need to be added to your reading list appeared first on The Australian Women's Weekly.