Going, going, gone!

Old 'Socks' camp at the base of Mt Ainslie.

Old ÔSocksÕ camp at the base of Mt Ainslie. An old fellow lived at the based of Mount Ainslie behind Campbell High School in an old tin hut until he died in the mid to late 1980s. He was referred to as "Socks" but I did not know his full name - he may have been a World War II veteran who found his happiness in the bush.Ê I was a Ranger in the Canberra Nature Park from 1976 - 86 but never met him. I was told by other colleagues to leave old Socks alone as his mates looked after him. I believe that his mates in the city parks had his hut connected to town water. I remember also being told that he had chooks in a fenced area and that he slept on piles of old newspapers. If you wish to visit the site, enter the reserve behind the war memorial via the Honour Thwaites track and follow it around towards the Ainslie village until you come to an intersection with the Campbell Link trail. A picture of the sign at this intersection is below.

I am sure Socks hut was due south from this sign.

This picture shows a star picket (metal post) which I think may have been part of his garden fence or chook pen. There are plenty of iris plants around the site, possibly a legacy from Socks.

I understand that when he died the authorities quickly moved in and cleared most things, except for the steel post!

I guess what appeals to me about this story is that here was an old fellow living a few 100 metres from the major tourist site and the well manicured lawns of the Australian War Memorial and near the Campbell High school... so close yet so far from society.

It is a shame that they cleared the site when he died. I think it would have made a wonderful little window on the past history of Canberra, but like so many old things they like to clean it up or simply remove it totally.

I am sure the story of old Socks would make interesting study one day.

Chris Mobbs

Hackett

CAS note: This certainly would make an interesting study and perhaps an interpretive sign.

PS provided by Eddie Vestjens:

I met Socks about a dozen times in the late seventies and early eighties. When I worked at TAA we used to go to the pub afterÊafternoonÊshift for a few coldies and Socks was always there and always friendly, like he knew you forever.

There was another old fella who lived there called Bertie who went round Ainslie on his bike sharpening knives and scissors, presumably for drinking money.

Bertie died of pneumonia after he won a couple of frozen chooks and went to sleep with them inside his coat.

What I heard years ago was that they were WW1 vets and couldnÕt be moved from the hill till they died.

Just after Socks died I tried to find any trace of their huts, as I used to walk past them as a kid on expeditions to Mount Ainslie, but could find nothing.