Rex was born in 1947 at the Crown Street Women's Hospital in Sydney, and he grew up in Kings Cross, Peakhurst, and Redfern, where he attended Marcellin College, Randwick. He then worked at the Schweppes Cordial Factory in Alexandria, joined the railways and the police force, before joining the Commonwealth Bank, where he worked until he retired in 2004. He and his wife then moved to Port Macquarie, where he has been living ever since. Rex remembers his parents working full-time and not being affectionate with each other, and his father was a heavy drinker. After their marriage broke down in 1959, Rex lived with his father for a short time before moving in with his mother.

Rex was raised by his parents who rarely showed affection, and he began writing poetry at the age of eleven or twelve. He still has his first poem, written on a school letterhead at Red Bend College in Central New South Wales, which he says he has copies of all of his poems. Rex likes the rhythm, timber, and rhyming of poetry, and he tries to give his poems meaning for both himself and the listener. Later on, he was in a rock band.


The conversation is about the speaker's experiences in a band called The Untouchables or The Untouchable Sounds. He was the rhythm guitarist, and the band played covers of songs from the 1960s at the Allawah Hotel and the Major Druitt Hotel at Mount Druitt. He recalls the difficulty of getting five people together to practice the songs, and how he ended up composing and arranging songs to get everyone to learn their parts. Eventually, in 1968, he gave up the band and sold his Fender Stratocaster and amp to buy a block of land at Springwood in the Blue Mountains. His favorite bands and artists included Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, particularly Jimmy Hendrix. He also tells the story of how he met his wife: on an evening ride up Parramatta Road, he stopped at Kenny's Milk Bar and offered to drive two girls back to the hospital. They agreed, and halfway there, he suggested going to Coogee Beach or Randwick.

This is the day Rex, a 21 year old police officer met his soon to be wife, Yvonne.
Rex shared the story of the drive, he needed to use the restroom but the men's section was blocked off so he ended up using the women's bathroom.
The two began to date and two years later, they got married. They then bought a plot of land in Springwood and through the Commonwealth Bank, got a loan to build a house on the land. They lived in the house from 1972 to 1985 and raised their two children there.

ReCommunity Stories and Poems

Rex Toomey Poetry

Gill Goater is a local poet with tremendous talent. This selection of 30 of her original works have been recorded by herself and some close friends at the Port Macquarie Library Imaginarium studio.

The Secret Life Of An Orange read by Kate Forrest

Sleep Thief

A Gift From My Father with Introduction

Gill Goater was a local poet of tremendous talent. Released posthumously, this selection of 23 poems were the last that she recorded. These original works have been recorded in her own voice and some of her close friends at the Port Macquarie Library Imaginarium Studio.

Lost One with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Little Whipbird with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Lament Of A March Fly with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Lament Of A Hum Hearer with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Joan with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

In The Silence Of The Night with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

For The FPG: Alternate of "That's Not Nothing, Is It?" with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Dawn Mantras with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Cabbage White with Introduction read by Elizabeth Cooke

Alzheimers with Introduction

Meet Ken Little and hear his story - Senior Citizen of the Year 2020 in Port Macquarie-Hastings Australian of the Year Awards.

Share your story with future generations

Ken Little - Senior Citizen of the Year 2020

Meet Sylvia Scott, local nurse and nurse educator who has a passion for Jazz singing.

Sylvia Scott - Local nurse educator and lover of jazz singing

Robert Lagettie - Movie, documentary and music creator

Our special guest today is Barry Ryan. Barry has very much been involved in the local community through the Lyons Club, Port City Apex and the Boy Scouts.

Imaginarium

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