Those were the days, my friends, of shire resident and wireless legend Jack Davey and another radio legend from that era, Bob Rogers.
There were Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewell, Johnny O'Keefe, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Sir Robert Menzies, Ken Catchpole and probably the shire's favourite son, the late Reg Gasnier.
World War II had finished but Vietnam was not far away.
We came third in the Melbourne Olympics behind the USA and Russia and we remember so well the achievements of the late Betty Cuthbert and Dawn Fraser.
And riding high in the radio ratings and just as high in his helicopter were radio station 2UE's Gary O'Callaghan and his eye-in-the-sky, Sammy Sparrow.
They are no longer with us and the world of radio is much poorer for their loss.
For at least three decades, O'Callaghan ruled the radio waves through his breakfast program.
You could set your watch to his time checks and you knew what the weather was like via Sammy's bulletins from his helicopter.
O'Callaghan's descriptions of international flights coming in over Sydney gave us all a lift for the workday ahead.
He was loved by all - family, friends, colleagues, advertisers and kids.
Two present radio heavyweights in Sydney, Bob Rogers and Ray Hadley both consider him a positive influence on their high-flying (without a helicopter) careers.
In the words of one of Gary's favourite songs - "thanks for the memories".
Paul Hunt, Engadine
