Pam Van Der Kooy

A girl from the Brisbane ‘burbs, Pam was born, and raised at Mt Gravatt on the south side of Brisbane, progressing through various hallowed Mt Gravatt institutions like Mt Gravatt Kindy, Mt Gravatt State School, Mt Gravatt High School and then, Mt Gravatt Teachers’ College.

She was approached to write a ‘follow up 50s /60s version’ to her father’s successful book Aniseed Balls, Billy Carts and Clotheslines – an ABC to Growing up in the 30s. After much deliberation, late night discussions with others who are over the 50s fence and taste testing of the newer version of Choo Choo Bars and other teeth rotting reminiscences, Stuff We had in the 50s and 60s was born.

Pam and her husband now live on the Sunshine Coast, empty nesters with their two daughters studying away from home but returning for food. Both girls struggle to believe that once upon a time, television finished at midnight, and that mum is so old she had a backyard dunny as a child and learnt to write on a slate.