About Ron Thomas

I grew up in the Western Sydney suburb of Punchbowl, in a happy family of limited means. My fascination with history may have been sparked by the panic in our house during a Japanese submarine attack in 1942, when I was almost two. However, this interest remained dormant throughout my schooling and was only rekindled when my job took me on frequent overseas trips. It was in late May of 1972 when my passion for history was reignited.

During the 1960s and 70s, I spent considerable time in Concord, Massachusetts, where I walked the 28 miles of the Freedom Trail, the path of Paul Revere's midnight ride in 1775. I began to appreciate the importance of preserving history when I saw how every scrap of history was being lovingly preserved in Concord, while in Sydney, we were knocking down our heritage. Jack Mundey and his builder's labourers, who banned the demolition of The Rocks, became heroes, disrupting the idea of progress.

This sparked my passion for Australian history and the people and events that shaped our diverse culture. In 2005, I retired as Managing Director of Anitech, an Australian computer equipment and maintenance company, and began my second career as a writer. I now spend much of my time writing and researching subjects for present and future stories. I live in Fairlight, in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney, where I enjoy sports such as cycling, tennis, golf, surfing, and swimming. My other interests include cooking, music, and painting landscapes.

I am kept on my toes by my wife, Margaret, three daughters, and two granddaughters. Whenever I have the time, I escape the rat race and head to our family holiday house at Narrawallee on the beautiful south coast of NSW. This is where I feel most at home.