Just So Stories

New Frontier Publishing

August 2025

ISBN : 978-1-923145-38-2

PRICE : $26.99

As a Sydney kid growing up in the late 50s and 60s Central Station, as was, felt very familiar to me. Not that we regularly went to the city every week or even every month, but we did quite often for special occasions. And certainly we went there for more than one eisteddfod event during the year for both my dancing and singing entries.

But probably my most special memory of Central is the holiday trip my mother, brother and I had along with my aunt and cousins, to Brisbane. And from there, changing onto the Sunlander to go all the way to Cairns and Green Island. So the iteration of Central Station I know best, is the one built in the early years of the 20th century with that impressive clock tower, the City Circle underground, and the newstands and other quirky outlets in the undercrofts, not to mention the cafes.

While I’ve seen some of the newer additions in our last visit, just before Covid scuttled our last regular trip ‘home’, I’m yet to see the full extent of the new Metro system and changes to the station itself. I just love this book and I know that kiddos will as well.

The history of it is fascinating, especially that which many of the present generation (nor possibly many adults) will not know, such as the fact of the old cemetery and the remains still under the site, or the disused tunnels, the knowledge of which some of us knew growing up [thanks Dad! now I need to get back and see them for myself!. Note, if you’ve read the Tea Ladies, you’ll know about some at least!].

Now the history of Sydney rail from its relatively humble beginnings to the present day as the busiest rail station in the country is laid out in the most engaging fashion for your readers. Naturally, Jackie’s history is, as always, engaging and en pointe. She knows exactly the details that will fascinate young readers.

Tracing the history of cartage of both people and goods from the early post-contact days of horse and cart to the establishment of our first central station in what is now known as Redfern, still the heart of Gadigal land, this history moves from era to era with succinct fact boxes, and notations.

It encompasses aspects like the increasing population, so the need for more transportation, the Stolen Generations, the war years, the modernisation of the trains and the infrastructure right up to the present day.

The illustrations are absolutely excellent along with the design, making it a pleasure to the eye of any adult as well as any child. The board book format means it will easily withstand the amount of dedicated handling it is sure to receive. And the lift-the-flaps revealing extra details or fun facts add that level of interaction that always has such appeal for the kiddos.

We all know those kiddos who are enthralled by modes of transport and love to find out more. This one is definitely going to tick the box for a lot of them, and it was definitely worth the wait until I got it today [read and reviewed in one day – doesn’t happen often!].

Without a moment’s hesitation, this one gets a 5 🚆🚆🚆🚆🚆rating for any gunzels of primary school age but most likely from Year 2 upwards.

Read more about the history of Central Station and NSW railways