When travelling east on Military Road, in the late 40s early 50s, you reach the cross road / intersection of Cowles Road. On each corner of this crossing there was a landmark of interest to the local community.

The first being at the tram stop (en-route to The Spit). This corner was occupied by a very sober looking petrol station, which had long since passed its use-by date. The prominent Amos family, who lived close by, took over the site and sucessfully ran their removalist company from these premises for many years. The corner blocks were eventually sold for re-development and are now occupied by a complex of professional suites and home units.

Across the road from Amos, the much loved Blue Bus would chug up Cowles Road to stop outside ‘Telopea’ a grand old two storey mansion with a well weathered front garden. The original house (known as ‘The White House’) still stands, mournfully blocked off from its once grand garden by a dividing wall. The building has had many different occupants since it was divided into professional suites (including, it was said, a covert SP Book Making operation!). Next to this block is ‘Boronia’, the twin structure, which had various re-births. e.g. as Mosman Library, later to become Boronia House Restaurant and Reception Centre… (it has recently re-opened as a new and different style restaurant).

The ‘White House’ corner garden was eventually transformed into a grand, and ultra-modern for the day, Ampol Service Station. This was officially opened with great fanfare and a touch of theatre, by Jack Davey – (at the time, one of Sydney’s most famous radio personalities). The site has been re-modelled over the years and continues providing products and services to the passing motorist.

Directly over the road was a tram stop (for the Wynyard / Lane Cove / Chatswood routes), which in later years was moved slightly east in front of the shops, and hovering over the stop, in all its grandeur was the gracious two storey brick residence and practice (complete with tennis court), of the noted G.P., Dr. Geoffrey Mutton. This beautiful example of early 20th century architecture was eventually demolished to be replaced by a Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food outlet! ... and to compound this sad situation, the tennis court was replaced by a drab block of box-like home units – which at least supplied a wonderland of half-built rooms, corridors and what seemed to be miles of scaffolding, for the local children, including myself, to claim for a time as the ultimate playground… (in the early fifties there was less consideration given to safety procedures / precautions around building sites).

The next corner house on the western side of Cowles Road, as you proceed towards Cremorne was another grand old two storey building built in a similar style to the Mutton Residence and surrounded by a high fence. The grounds were heavily wooded and a multitude of tall shrubs, ensured complete privacy on all sides. To the youth of the area the building took on a mysterious air and many legends were born as we became increasingly fascinated by ‘The Haunted House’. To add to the intrigue, the only sign of life was the rare sighting of a tall thick-set gentleman dressed in a baggy three piece suit… which had obviously come from a bygone era. He would usually be seen carrying a shopping bag as he made the short journey to the shops leading up to Spit Junction. When we boys spotted him coming, we would hastily cross Military Road, dodging old cars and the odd horse-drawn Baker’s or Milko’s cart, so as to study the mystery man and conjure up all sorts of colourful images, most of which revolved around the magic and mysterious rituals that we believed took place in the house.

Sometimes at night, when my friend Peter and I were dressed in our very rudimentary (self-made!) ‘Batman and Robin’ outfits, we would creep up to the side paling fence of the house, and clamber high up into the overhanging limbs of a huge Camphor Laurel tree that provided the (slightest) view into the poorly lit upper room of the eerie dwelling. We never did see any one or any thing in the room and ultimately decided to cease our clandestine activities when we both dropped our box-like bicycle torches – thus rendering useless the thin shaft of light, which was needed to guide us through the murky night light surrounding Memory Park and other bushy areas at the bottom of Cowles Road. At a later date, one of the North Shore’s most modern commercial premises, the Norman G. Booth, Holden car sales and service building was constructed next door to the old house, creating quite a contrast.

Whether it be the excitement of watching the various Scottish Bands gathering at the official starting point for the annual Highland Gathering (that would wind its colourful way to Balmoral Oval)... or climbing the double, barbed-wire topped gates of The Fresh Food and Ice Company, (now a Mosman Council Works Yard), to sit atop the carts (and horses!) housed within the compound walls and let your imagination have free rein… the intersection inevitably became the doorway to a world of fond childhood memories.