…by Michael Bennett The Nawi Symposium, the second National Gathering of Indigenous watercraft custodians and cultural practitioners, was held at the National Maritime Museum on 9 November. Over 70 traditional owners, researchers and community supporters gathered to hear a range of presentations about the history of Indigenous watercraft use and current projects to reinvigorate … Read more
…this post introduces PHA NSW and ACT member, Ian Willis’ blog, Camden History Notes. Camden is a town southwest of Sydney, situated on land belonging to the Dharawal (Tharawal) people. Ian’s blog presents stories about the district’s people, its history, heritage and traditions. He draws on the memories and experiences of local families, local identities, … Read more
… Anna Clark introduces her new book. As a kid I used to go down to the beach after dinner and watch my grandfather, dad and uncle spinning off the rocks or bait-fishing in the estuary. When I wanted to learn, they had me casting lures across the paddocks before I was set loose … Read more
… Ruth Banfield reports on an exploration of the history of Macarthur. They Came By Boat is an exhibition [until 15 October] that explores the incredible journey convicts, free settlers and, in current times, refugees, faced when leaving their homeland and arriving in a new and foreign country. The exhibition features a range of … Read more
Jennifer Debenham discusses the website, Colonial Frontier Massacres in Eastern Australia 1788-1872, which was formally launched at the annual Australian Historical Association’s conference in July by Indigenous Senior Lecturer, Dr Stephanie Gilbert, from the University of Newcastle’s Wollotuka Institute. The launch session was introduced by project leader, Professor Lyndall Ryan. Dr William (Bill) Pascoe, … Read more
Sydney Living Museums’ exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, The Moderns: European Designers in Sydney comes at a time when the city’s built environment and architectural heritage are very much in the spotlight. Nicole Cama takes a look at one of those designers, Eva Buhrich. From the 1930s to the 1960s, a number of architects and … Read more
… by Mark Dunn, Chair, PHA NSW & ACT This year the 36th Annual Australian Historical Association (AHA) Conference was held in Newcastle. Out of over 300 delegates giving papers, at least 18 PHA NSW & ACT members were present and presenting. This was great to see and represents the largest number in a … Read more
The Public History Prize seeks to encourage historical practice that is applied to real world issues. It invites entries from undergraduate, graduate diploma and master students in NSW and the ACT , which demonstrate excellence in writing or other media, and the ability to interpret the past in a contextual way. The Prize for … Read more
By Paul Irish, whose book Hidden In Plain View: The Aboriginal People of Coastal Sydney (2017) is out now, published by NewSouth Publishing. We all recognise the Sydney Opera House. Many of us also know that it is built on a point named after early colonial Aboriginal identity Bennelong, who lived there in the … Read more
‘History is not a single story’, writes Larissa Behrendt in the recently published The Honest History Book, whose main aim is to counter what it sees as Anzackery or the inflation of the Anzac myth over other aspects of Australia’s past. Professional historians have much to contribute to uncovering the multitude of stories that … Read more