eNewsletter
Newsletter 21 August 2025
From the President
The History Council is very excited about a couple of its upcoming events. The first is our Fellowship Lecture, featuring David Reilly on 3 September at 5:30pm in the Hetzel Theatre of the State Library.
You can book your tickets here through Humanitix.
The second is our Annual Regional Lecture, held this year in Renmark on 9 October. Stay tuned for further details on that one!
Another quick reminder too that for the price of a pizza you can get a year’s membership to the History Council, helping us to provide fellowships and awards, hold events like our fellowship lecture and advocate for history in the public sphere.
You can join on our website here.
Already a member? You might like to make a small, medium or family-sized tax-deductible donation supporting our work on our website here.
News
CHASS Calls for a National Approach to support for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences in Australian universities
The Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) has issued a media release about the national crisis in humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) in Australian Universities.
Read it on their website here
Seeking information and leads on Italian Internees sent to the NT
Fred Marrone is seeking information for a project on the history of Italians in the NT. He is seeking the names and occupations of Italians who were sent to work or migrated to the NT from 1845 to 1995, and the work they were involved in.
If you are able to help, please contact him on 0408 508 819 or via email: [email protected]
Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS) Online Library Catalogue Test Version Launch
The RAHS has recently launched the test version of their new online library catalogue, offering researchers, members, and history enthusiasts a fresh and user-friendly way to explore their collections.
Read more and access the catalogue through their website
Dublin Dispatch
The September - October edition of the Dublin History Group's newsletter is now available.
Read it on their website here.
Bernadette Bean SA Records Management Service Excellence Award
The recipients of the 2025 awards have been announced.
Further information on their website here
Australian Research Council Linkage grant
A generous grant has been awarded to a project led by a team of researchers from across Australia. The research project, A Tale of Two Cities, seeks to investigate the inter-generational outcomes of people who arrived to Australia free and not free. Researchers and partners involved in the project include many of our member organisations and researchers from South Australian Universities.
For further information, see the news post by the University of New England here.
Around the country
Save the Queen: The Priscilla Project
A project is underway to restore the Priscilla bus from the film 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. She was discovered on a property in rural New South Wales, having survived fire, floods, and exposure to the elements. The History Trust of South Australia is seeking donations to restore the bus and display her at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood.
Further information through the HTSA
NSW History Awards shortlist announced
The shortlist for the 2025 NSW History Awards have been announced. Winners will be announced 5 September 2025.
Check out the shortlist here
Our Story: Aboriginal-Chinese people in Australia
An exhibition at the National Museum of Australia which sheds light on the little-known history of Aboriginal and Chinese relations in colonial Australia.
Until 27 January 2026.
Further information through the museum website
Lectures, exhibitions, and events
2025 HCSA Fellows Lecture: David Reilly
Our 2025 Fellow David is tracing the history of the date palm in Australia and beyond. Join us to discover what this iconic species can reveal about the cultural and environmental history of Australia.
State Library of South Australia, Hetzel Lecture Theatre. 3 September, 5.30 - 7pm.
Further information and tickets through Humanitix
Y2K - Parallel Shift
This exhibition at the Unley Museum features works created by artists in the year 2000 - exploring that moment of change.
Further information on their website
South Australian Medical Heritage Society general meeting
Featuring Professor Bob Goldney AO speaking on 'A history of psychiatry in SA and its relevance today'.
6pm, 28 August 2025, Dulwich Community Centre, 14 Union Street, Dulwich.
Replies to Secretary Maggi Boult: [email protected]
Using DNA for family history
Genealogy SA is now offering this DNA course online! Join us for this beginner’s workshop where we introduce the basics of DNA research for genealogy and give hands on instruction.
15 & 29 September, 6:30pm to 9:30pm, 22 September, 7pm to 8pm
$89 Genealogy SA members / $139 non-members
Further information and registration through Trybooking
Genealogy SA Library Open Day
Would you like to get started with your family history? Come along to our Library Open Day and see what Genealogy SA has to offer!
12 October, 10am to 3pm
FREE to everyone!
Further information and registration on the Genealogy SA Website
Tracing people through places
Presented by the National Archives of Australia, this event will teach you how unexpected resources such as old maps, photographs, employee records, (and more) can help trace your ancestors footsteps.
26 August, 12-1pm, Hetzel lecture Theatre, Institute Building
Further information and registration through the State Library website
Friends of the Lutheran Archives upcoming meeting: Enlightened Aboriginal Futures and Sandhill Girl: The Story of Two Books and the Importance of Writing as Kin
Thursday 18 September at 7.30pm
Speakers: Barry Judd, Katherine Ellinghaus
139 Archer St, North Adelaide SA 5006
$5 donation
LIVESTREAM on FoLA YouTube channel here
Professional Historians Association (SA) History at the Historian program 2025
An opportunity to engage with experts in the field, ask questions, and enjoy a stimulating discussion in a relaxed pub setting.
All are held at 5.45pm, at the Historian Hotel, 18 Coromandel Place, Adelaide.
Details of each event will be shared on the PHA's Facebook page
Monday 20 October: Unearthing Research Gems at State Records of SA
Presenter: State Records of South Australia
Historical Society of South Australia Speaker Program 2025
First Friday of the month, 7.30 pm, Burnside City Uniting Church, Fisher Street, Tusmore.
5 September - Jade Hastings: Single women and the law: crime and legislative change in colonial South Australia, 1836 1880
3 October - Margot Way: The History of the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre
7 November - Paul Flavel: John Martin’s. the story of South Australia’s beloved department store
Further details on each month’s History Talk are provided in the History SA newsletter and on the Society’s website.
Check out their website here
Calls for papers
Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society 2026
Due date: 1 October 2025, for consideration in the June 2026 issue.
Further information and guidelines on their website here.
Opportunities
History Teacher's Association of South Australia Competitions
During the remainder of this year HTASA is actively supporting the National History Challenge, the Simpson Prize, the Premier’s Anzac Spirit Prize and the Governor’s Civics Awards.
The Simpson Prize. This year’s question involves using primary sources for evidence of contrasting perspectives on World War One or Two.
Further details and relevant sources are available from the website here.
The closing date for entries is Wednesday, November 5th.
The Premier’s ANZAC Spirit Prize and the Governor’s Civics Awards.
Details for 2025 for both competitions are accessible here.
The closing date for the Premier’s ANZAC Sprit Prize entries is Friday, September 5th, and for the Governor’s Civics Awards, Friday, September 12th.
