by Nicole Cama, Digital Curator, Australian National Maritime Museum. I always find the amalgamation of past and current events to be a challenging task as a historian. Last week I was a guest speaker for the Dictionary of Sydneyâs weekly history segment on Breakfast at 2SER radio. The International Court of Justice had, only the day … Read more
As we approach Anzac Day in the centenary year of the beginning of the First World War, we are sure to see outpourings of reminiscence and myth about the âGreatâ War. Francesca Beddie brings to the attention of fellow historians some of the efforts being made to encourage balance and honesty in the history being … Read more
Ian Willis reports on a paper he presented at the 12th Australasian Urban History/Planning History Conference at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. The paper examined the identity of the Macarthur region southwest of Sydney and its sense of place. What is Macarthurâs regional identity? This seems a fairly safe question but if the response … Read more
by David Carment. I recently returned from the excellent conference in Canberra honouring the eminent and influential Australian historian Alan Atkinson. His most substantial publication is The Europeans in Australia, the third volume of which appears this year. Other important books include Camden, The Commonwealth of Speech and his co-edited Australians 1838. Conference speakers addressed … Read more
by Joy Hughes At the beginning of December 2013, Dr Alex Byrne, the State Librarian, announced an appeal for funds for the ârevitalisationâ of the Mitchell Library. The appealâs ritzy brochure outlines exciting plans on a grand scale for a large below ground auditorium and for current office spaces on the first floor to become … Read more
Katherine Knight alerts us to an historical perspective to the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sex Abuse. On 31 January, Bonney Djuric posted on Facebook âSee ABC 7.30 Report NSW, tonight Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Parramatta Girls Homeâ. For over a decade, the former âParramatta Girlâ Bonney has … Read more
As Australia faces a week of soaring temperatures, this post takes us to snow-bound Washington DC where the 2014 American Historical Association (AHA) meeting recently took place. It is a short entry, offering some links to material you might have time to explore before 2014 gets into top gear and which may be useful in … Read more
Bruce Baskerville, the PHA NSW’s 13th President, addressed the PHA NSW Christmas party. He spoke about the mission of public history. The following is an abridged version of his speech. I recently read a collection of essays edited by one of a former PHA (NSW) president, Dr Paul Ashton, Australian History Now (http://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/australian-history-now-provisional-title) The opening … Read more
Ian Willis reports on a public lecture he presented on 9 October 2013  at the Camden Historical Society called âThe story of the Camden district Red Cross in war and peace, 1914-1945â. This is a wonderful story of conservative country women doing their patriotic duty in an outpost of the British Empire. From 1914 Camden … Read more
North Sydney Councilâs historian, Ian Hoskins, writes about staging an exhibition of local history and cartography at the North Sydney Heritage Centre/Stanton Library, North Sydney. Custodianship of a public collection brings with it both the urge to care and cosset and the desire to display. The latter is typically driven by a fascination in the … Read more