There are countless of positive tribute videos on this channel mate.They are not all "negative," as you put it. I began the channel to pay honour to those I grew up with. Maybe instead of being so negative (ironically enough) about what I have created, you could stop being so negative and critical and create a channel of your own?

@@elizabeththatwas The work you do is good, but always a bleak picture of Elizabeth.

@@stuartstibbs2069 It is not always a negative view. There are hundreds of videos on this channel. It is you who zeros in on the negatives, ignoring everything else. This particular series, in fact, helped me out personally, through extensive research, to understand many of the problems that came to harshly impact many of my friends and their families. This channel has been created with a pure heart and deep affection for where and when I grew up. I think it's all too easy for people who aren't producing anything at all to criticize others who care enough to do so. If you have actual research that contradict any of the info in this series, please reference them, instead of throwing blanket accusations at me about being negative and leave the channel for those who actually appreciate it. You don't have to keep watching. Sheesh

That sounds amazing, Judith. Thank you for sharing that with us. I sometimes think how amazing the sky must have looked at night, in those very early days with hardly any houses fully occupied or built. Must have been quite a magical time. In its own way, of course. The lack of amenities must have proved its own challenge.

@@elizabeththatwas lol what i remember of the skies was in summer and the dust storms

Yes, I think it was called Club Ballroom. There was a stairwell opposite, which took you to the Billiard Hall. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. We love hearing them. Cheers, Will :-)

It has been my pleasure, and honour, mate. Thank you for watching. Much appreciated :-) Will

Greetings. The track is called Wide Awake in Dreamland, by a band named Wellmess. Cheers for watching, much appreciated :-) Will

Hello Stuart. I love that you are have such a positive outlook and perspective on Elizabeth as it is today. This channel is called Elizabeth That Was. It covers Elizabeth's existence as an fledgling, then independent city before being absorbed into the bigger Playford City Council. There is a definite and traceable arc between 1955 and 1997 that sees the rise, fulfillment and then fall of the original vision as perceived by Thomas Playford and the South Australian Housing Trust by the time amalgamation takes place in 1997. I stand by that commentary. If there is an argument to be made about how good things are now in Elizabeth, that is up to someone else to create their own channel and promote that. Thank you for watching. I do appreciate your point of view, Stuart. I just don't agree that there was no decline. Cheers, Will

@@elizabeththatwas yeh but there was no rich, middle class , and working class...thats nonsense...we all just got on with life...There was no social breakdown... maybe in some intellectuals mind, but not in reality... Elizabeth suffered from Australias economy at the time, high interest rates...etc...and of course the libnat filth , later on, telling Holdens to shove it... at the end of the day, they left and Elizabeth has still thrived...🤣

That must have been amazing to see

@@elizabeththatwas 🤣 it was. It rolled in from the north west, like a big brown tsunami!

I lived in Elizabeth between 1970 and 1996. I have since lived in many places, returning regularly to Elizabeth to visit family, friends etc. My home suburbs of Smithfield Plains and Daveron Park (Elizabeth Fields), are very depressing for me to revisit. Most of my childhood friends homes don't even exist anymore, our schools closed and left to rot and vandalism for years before eventually being demolished. Old neighbourhood shops pretty much left to do the same. This channel was a response to that, to restore the memory of those I grew up with. That's how it started, anyway. I don't set out to paint a gloomy picture. I research the history and try to present it as objectively, and as honestly to my perspective and experience, as I can. I respect your opinion, and love that you stand up for Elizabeth. I'm sure many things would have been different if more of us had had your sense of community pride and spirit. Personally, I hate the idea of 'Super Schools', schools so big the individual gets lost because there is no way teachers can provide personalised education with the amount of pupils crammed into their classrooms. The amount of schools built in the area was specifically to avoid over crowding. Not that I blame Playford Council for that. That is an issue nation wide. Anyway, thank you for watching, and for sharing your views with us. Much appreciated.

@@elizabeththatwas yeh, for sure, theres areas and homes that need more tlc....its mainly the rentals and the lowlifes that live there...but thats not just Elizabeth, its across the state....dont dwell on the negatives... Elizabeth is one of Australias great success stories. Men of great vision set out to do something good...a pity theres not more of it now. Sad..

I don't recall Court Ballroom, at all. I do remember the billiard hall though, if only vaguely :-)

@@elizabeththatwas yep, it was round the back of the centre. Upstairs....reached from stairs on the outside...still cant dance... 🤣

Your poor parents must have been stressed out of their minds - a massive move and then your brother, with all that initial uncertainty as to what was wrong with him. Glad it all worked out. I love that you love living in Elizabeth, also. That is awesome :-) Thank you for sharing some of your story with us. Much appreciated :-) Will

@@elizabeththatwas Yeh. Tough going, in a new country. We arrived in january, and in our new house first day, i jumped onto the kitchen sink, drank some water out of the cold tap, and burnt my mouth. 🤣 Welcome to Australia...

All good Mark. Sometimes it is good to vent. Thank you for watching. Much appreciated :-) Will

My pleasure, Mark. I appreciated you watching :-) Will

So sad to learn today development have taken these early parts of the Elizabeth Centre, it must look as a block faceless grey area.

Yes, it's just one big, grey carpark. Let's hope they don't target the Clock Tower next

My pleasure. Thank you for watching :-) Will

That skating rink was a big part of youth culture for a long time. Thank you again, for watching. Much appreciated. Will :-)

A very different time. I remember hours spent exploring all the creeks, old farm houses and paddocks that surrounded the urban areas for miles. It was a wonderful experience for a kid, to take off and lose ourselves in all that open space. A very special time I'm glad I got to experience. If only we all knew how lucky we were, and how unique that was - that strange dichotomy or both urban and rural living. A very small snapshot in time.

Many people had their wedding photos taken by the at Windsor Green fountain, too. Fond memories for many

Yes, I remember sticking to those seats in Summer, lol. Great memories. Thank you for watching. Much appreciated :-) Will

Hey, Margy. Yes, it was, actually. It was attached to the Shedley, together they made up the Elizabeth Civic Theatres. The Shedley still remains, but the Octagon is most definitely gone. You can see the demolished remains in the link here, although the date is wrong. The demo took place early 2000s: playfordspast.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/20532?keywords=The+Octagon&highlights=WyJvY3RhZ29uIl0%3D&lsk=63dbb7aa65abd9eddc1843b60fb06145

Nice. That's a lot of changes you witnessed. A unique time. Thank you for sharing with us. Always love hearing people's stories. Cheers :-) Will

That's cool, Jim. I've worked in theatre, on and off stage, for the last 21 years in Qld. Sadly, I never attended any events at the Shedley or the Octagon. Wish I had now, though. Cheers for watching, mate, and for sharing with us. Will

Cool. Thank you for watching, much appreciated :-) Will

Thank you William. Hope you enjoyed. Thank you for watching, much appreciated :-) Will