Even in 1971, surely this creation couldn’t have been the largest sundial in the world? Created by Elwyn Hawthorn and Dr. Guy Hamilton, it was the showpiece for the opening of the Dianella Plaza shopping centre. It’s still there, although now sadly relegated to behind the Supa (N) IGA. I have a personal connection with this event. Mum and dad both had sculpture pieces in the centre for the Plaza opening in August 1971 as part of a competition. Dad’s won, and was kept on display. A few years later it was apparently dumped in the pond out the front. A correspondent who didn’t seem to give a name, pointed me to these wonderful shots on State Library archive. Some awesome shots, well worth a search and scroll for fashion, architecture and style. The shorts! The socks! The carrots for 5c!
Searching for Messrs Hawthorn and Hamilton, I also came across this marvellous piece from the Sydney Morning Herald which covers it for some reason. Has many wonderful worsts on the page, including Penfolds Sweet Sherry for 95c, a two stone cat and the fight for late night trading in Melbourne 1971. All in all, the sundial is actually not bad, even now. Stacks up well against the Smiths’ hideous version down at the waterfront, which may be bigger, but may also be world’s shittiest sundial. Another search for Elwyn Hawthorn is even more intriguing, turning up this from a UK art online site, saying Kalgoorlie 1962. Once again, that’s not bad either. The same Elwyn? Who knows? How many are there? The same one who also wrote Atheism for Survival? Whoa.
Wait, the painter is him. He’s got stuff everywhere. Pretty amazing dude really.
The Worst of Perth 
That Channel 7 outside broadcast truck is magnificent.
Do you think that is reporter Brian Burke in the brown cardigan?
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Link says Hawthorn won the sculpture competition. What’s the story? Was the sundial an entry? I need answers.
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Yes he won the comp to make the sundial.
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Beautiful piece. Thanks for sharing. I had no knowledge of it’s existence.
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That’s because nobody has any reason to go to Dianella. Or Spearwood.
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To be sure SW. I actually don’t know where Dianella is.
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It’s nowhere and everywhere.
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i do like the fat kid squashing his sibling in the pram.
thanks for sharing a whimsical and personal piece tla.
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Hey, that “fat kid” is quite possibly TL101. Show some respec.
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I don’t want to get into an argument with a plaque from the early seventies, I know they didn’t have the internet back then, but when I venture into the world of Google there seems to have been a pretty big Sundial built in India in the eighteenth century.
It’s currently considered the World’s Biggest Sundial so I’m not sure what happened. Perhaps they added an extension to it in 1972.
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Is that a former Pizza Hut across the road?
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Looks like the Midland train station.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jantar_Mantar_%28Jaipur%29
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It’s for the nerdic observation of astronoids.,as well as sun dialling. A Pink Floyd album was dedicated to it.
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$3,513 for a sore knee? That’s enough for a two year supply of Johnnie Walker Scotch, if you rationed yourself to a bottle a day…
Worth going to Mt Hawthorn to get your hair done, really…
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Johnnie Walker Scotch, from DJs!
Although the lady in question may have been more of a Lindeman’s Sparkling Pearl or even “German Liebfraumilch” tippler, maybe?
No joy in the mojito making department, TLA, but I think that that demijohn of Spanish Sherry is a must for interior decoration purposes, surely? Total class…
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No, I’d say Stone’s Green Ginger Wine.
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This is the real reason Perth does not have daylight saving.
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Not really.
There’s a chronic shortage of storage space to keep it all in.
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That, RWL, and spelling. And global warming, of course. Well played, Mr Meskimen.
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Think I will slink down to dianella plaza tonight to erase the “r” from the “shirt inn” sign.
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Can you get me 12cents worth of mince while you’re there?
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Late night trading in the burbs was last night sorry.
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Don’t think we got it til the late 70s. Except christmas
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Couple of great ties in the window of the shirt inne
http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2428479_6
Also love the yellow bottle glass.
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It is said
by methat there is no photograph that can’t be improved with the addition of a shopping trolley, so just look at that daisy chain of the buggers. Not remotely worst.LikeLike
No dick and balls? Shopping trolleys be damned.
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I wonder if the SLWA has any shots left of the grand opening of the City Station Rest Centre in 1990 where I had my cock, the biggest in the world, on display. Channel 9 was there.
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Hammerban this tedious cunt.
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OMG, thats near my house and just a fact its one of the biggest sun diles in the world.
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Why don’t supermarkets have a wig section any more?
http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2428479_1
(zoom on on the back wall).
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All of them zoom in so well. What about below the stationery sign, the chick with the hat the shorts and the sash.
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Fab. Hat.
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Dudes shopping in suits ties and hats. Awesome.
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I do rather miss the miniskirts and short shorts of the 70s.
There was something about them that was so näively horny.
The positioning of the wigs immediately next to the underwear has its innocence too.
Memories of merkins.
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