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Ghosts in The Rocks
Summary
Through their stories, long-term residents and ghost hosts Brian and Colleen Harrison will take you into the nether world of the Rocks.About Brian & Colleen Harrison
Over fifty years ago the seed of the Ghost Tours was sown. Ghost Host Brian listened to many stories of local murders, suicides, unusual happenings and ghost stories told to him by three generations of his family who ran boarding houses and lived in this historic area. His wife, Ghost Host Colleen has a passion for History, and is a descendant of convicts Sophia and Stafford Lett. Sophia was widowed, owned the Punchbowl Pub and married George Cribb who lived and ran his slaughter yard and butchery in The Rocks. Sophia was George’s third wife.
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The Tribal Warrior Association - Voyage of Goodwill
Summary
Shane Phillips, CEO of The Tribal Warrior Association, talks about the organisation’s ‘Voyage of Goodwill’ to circumnavigate Australia in 2001 and their ongoing work.About Shane Phillips
The Tribal Warrior Association is a non-profit community organisation initiated and directed by Aboriginal people with Aboriginal Elders. It was established by concerned Aboriginal people who wished to spread and vitalise Aboriginal culture, and to provide economic and social stability. The association offers quality training for employment skills and provides everyday practical assistance by distributing food and groceries to struggling families.
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History of the Julian Ashton art School
Summary
Australian Artist Paul Ashton Delprat talks about art in The Rocks, and the Julian Ashton art School and its History.About Paul Ashton Delprat
Paul is the principal of the Julian Ashton Art School in The Rocks which was founded in 1890 by his great Grandfather Julian Ashton. His art is represented in the National Gallery, Canberra, regional galleries, the BHP collection and other public and private collections.
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Indigenous heritage and bush foods
Summary
Jess Sinnott speaks about indigenous heritage and bush foods, sharing her knowledge of the fruits, vegetables and meats seasonably available to Aboriginal people in the Sydney area.About Jess Sinnott
Jess Sinnott currently works as a part-time teacher and aboriginal cultural education program coordinator at northern Sydney Institute of Tafe. Jess is also an Aboriginal guide with Sydney Learning Adventures, an Aboriginal education officer with the Royal Botanic Gardens and an Aboriginal discovery ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. An experienced guide, interpreter and heritage officer, Jess is skilled in delivering tours, programs and workshops that give everyone an opportunity to share in the knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture.
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Aboriginal performers - the next generation
Summary
Fred Copperwaite, a Bunuba man from southwest Kimberley, talks about inspiring the next generation of young Aboriginal performers.About Fred Copperwaite
Frederick is an actor, teacher and theatre director with 30 years experience teaching in a variety of training environments throughout Australia and Europe. He graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 1987 and is currently head of theatre and screen studies at The Eora College of Aboriginal Studies Centre for Visual and Performing Arts. He is also a founding member and artistic director of Moogahlin Performing Arts, where he directed Gathering Ground 2010 Timelessness Past Present and Future. Since 2007 he has worked as an artist in residence for the Bell Shakespeare Company.
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Pictures of Old Sydney exhibition catalogue
Summary
Bob Whight will lead a discussion of the discovery of the 1902 Pictures of Old Sydney exhibition catalogue, the ensuing research into the context of the exhibition and the growing fascination with “Old Sydney” and heritage conservation at the turn of the last century.About Bob Whight
Bob is an assistant exhibitions officer with the Historic Houses Trust (HHT). She has worked in various roles for the HHT, including as guide and assistant curator, and on the research and development of a number of exhibitions and publications, including Bridging Sydney, Sydney’s pubs: liquor, larrikins and the law and most recently Painting The Rocks: the loss of Old Sydney.
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Photographing Sydney Harbour at night
Summary
Experienced photographer Peter Solness speaks about his ongoing fascination with Sydney Harbour at night as captured through his camera lens.About Peter Solness
He has more than 25 years experience in editorial and corporate photography, and has worked for every major magazine and newspaper in Australia, as well as completing assignments for overseas publications such The Guardian, Conde Naste Traveller and German GEO. Peter’s corporate clients have included Qantas Airlines, N.R.M.A., Commonwealth Bank, AGL and Channel 7. He has been the principal photographer for eight books and a contributor to at least another 10. He also exhibits photographs on a regular basis. Recently Peter has been concentrating on his fine-art photography, in particular the ‘Illuminated Landscape’ essays which explore the visual wonder of the Australian bush at night. Peter’s images are held in the public collections of the National Library Canberra, Museum of Sydney, State Library of NSW and the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.
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Aboriginal welfare photography
Summary
Sue Newman, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, and Susan Charlton, Creative Producer, discuss their emotive exhibition of old Aboriginal welfare photographs, In Living MemoryAbout Sue Newman & Susan Charlton
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The Rocks Dreaming program
Summary
Binowee Bayles speaks about igniting the imaginations of young people with The Rocks Dreaming program, an interpretation of The Rocks from an Aboriginal perspective.About Binowee Bayles
Binowee is the Aboriginal interpretation officer at Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the second youngest of eight daughters who have been raised with a proud sense of Aboriginal cultural identity. She has worked in community services, education and theatre and has performed traditional Aboriginal dances both nationally and internationally.
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The making of our Nation
Summary
Binowee Bayles, a member of the Local Aboriginal Community talks about ‘The making of our Nation’ from a Youths perspective, “The making of our nation is not something from our past – but rather something that I and many young Australians are living now for ourselves, our people and our children.”About Binowee Bayles
Binowee Bayles is the second youngest of eight daughters who have been raised with a proud sense of Aboriginal cultural identity. She has worked in Community Services, Education and Theatre and has performed Traditional Aboriginal Dances both nationally and internationally.
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The Rocks Pop Up Project
Summary
The Rocks Pop Up Project - Four buildings // six months // limitless thinking: Anique Vered shares how The Rocks’ latest partnership takes form in four vacant heritage buildings.About Anique Vered
The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority in partnership with Arts NSW is running a pilot project to raise the profile of the arts in The Rocks. The Rocks Pop Up Project Space Manager, Anique Vered is a cultural worker and producer interested in creative mediums as effective platforms for societal growth. Producer of the inaugural Creative Sydney 2009, most recently Anique spent two years engaged with various communities in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Germany and Israel to gather a deeper understanding of how associations between people and place can sustain both individual and collective.
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Creating a harmonic environment - architecture
Summary
Aboriginal artist John South speaks about his current research into how architecture can be used to create a harmonious environment to heal the mind.About John South
John is a contemporary Aboriginal artist whose family come from the Wailwan language group in far western NSW. John grew up in the Blue Mountains and lives in Sydney where he is currently completing a Masters in Fine Arts at Sydney College of the Arts. His artwork explores location to create a dialogue between the artwork and the environment making references to dreaming stories and his Aboriginal culture. An interdisciplinary artist, John uses video installation, painting and sculpture to suit the location at the time. As part of his current Masters research he is looking at the Sydney College of the Arts site in Callan Park which was once the Kirkbride Building— a purpose built asylum completed in 1880s.
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The Red Room Company’s Clubs and Societies project
Summary
Poet Johanna Featherstone talks about the landscape of memory, and The Red Room Company’s Clubs and Societies project.About Johanna Featherstone
Featherstone, who established The Red Room Company in 2003, has had her poetry featured in various literary journals including Quadrant and Best Australian Poems. She has created a series of TV shows, The Wordshed, in partnership with the University of Western Sydney, and is an honorary associate of Sydney University’s School of Letters, Arts and Media.
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Exhibition at the State Library of NSW Carved Trees
Summary
Ronald Briggs talks about the rare photographs of traditional carved trees, exhibited at the State Library of NSW from 18 April – 26 June.About Ronald Briggs
Ronald Briggs is a curator, author and librarian. He is the curator of the current exhibition at the State Library of NSW Carved Trees – Aboriginal Cultures of Western NSW and is a Gamilaroi man from Moree, NSW. Ronald has worked as an Indigenous Services Librarian at the State Library of New South Wales since 1991, where he assists clients interested in researching Indigenous local or cultural history, Indigenous Australians researching their family history, or public libraries developing their library services and collections for their local Indigenous community. Previously Ronald worked at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
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Environmental concerns, obligations and consumer rights under the law
Summary
Martino Santi, ACCC, will explain some of the issues in relation to green and environmental claims and suggest ways consumers can protect themselves and what they can do if they believe they have been misled. Martino will also outline traders’ obligations and consumer rights under the law and refer to some of the cases the ACCC has investigated.About Martino Santi
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is an independent statutory authority formed in 1995 to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974 and other acts. The Trade Practices Act aims to enhance the welfare of Australians through the promotion of competition and fair trading and provision for consumer protection.
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Telling the stories of The Rocks working class
Summary
The curator of Susannah Place Museum, speaks about her interest in the interpretation and representation of working-class people and the use of oral histories in museums.About Anna Cossu
Anna Cossu is the curator of Susannah Place Museum. Anna has also worked in the Education Unit for the HHT and was a History teacher before she joined the Historic Houses Trust. Her interests lie in the interpretation and representation of working-class people and the use of oral histories in museums. As part of the Philip Kent Staff Development Award, she was awarded in 2006, Anna travelled to the UK and New York to research how the lives and material culture of the working class are represented in museums. She has developed public programs and displays exploring the history of The Rocks and co-curatored the Painting the Rocks: the loss of Old Sydney exhibition in 2010. Anna is the author of a book called A place in The Rocks about Susannah Place Museum (2008) and co-author of Painting the Rocks (2010).
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Tribal Warrior Association - Connection to the harbour
Summary
Shane Phillips speaks about Sydney Harbour from an Indigenous perspective and his ongoing connection to the harbour in his role as CEO for the Tribal Warrior Association.About Shane Phillips
Shane Phillips has a long history of working to empower disadvantaged Indigenous Australians through his involvement as Chief Executive Officer of the Tribal Warrior Association and organiser of the renowned Family Culture Day on the Block at Redfern. The Tribal Warrior Association aims to spread and revitalise Aboriginal culture, and to provide economic and social stability to Aboriginal people. Shane is a cultural leader who believes the pathway to positive change is through empowerment and belief in the pride and strength of Indigenous people
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The Rocks Dreaming program
Summary
Binowee Bayles takes us into the world of The Rocks Dreaming program and how she ignites the imaginations of young people with an interpretation of the Rocks from an Aboriginal perspective.About Binowee Bayles
Binowee Bayles takes us into the world of The Rocks Dreaming program and how she ignites the imaginations of young people with an interpretation of the Rocks from an Aboriginal perspective.
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Lachlan Macquarie's legacy in The Rocks
Summary
Continuing on the theme of celebrating the 200th anniversary of Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s 12-year tenure as the 5th Governor of the colony of New South Wales’, Lisa Murray from the Dictionary of Sydney talks about Lachlan Macquarie's legacy in The Rocks, seen in the suburb's streets and the stories behind their names.About Lisa Murray
Dr Lisa Murray has been a historian at the Council of the City of Sydney since 2001 and is currently the Acting City Historian and Chair of the Dictionary of Sydney. Her research interests include Sydney's urban, cultural and social history; and cultural landscapes, memory and heritage. Recent publications include the award-winning book The Capitol Theatre Restoration and Musical Chairs: The Quest for a City Recital Hall. Her current research project for the council is a social history of the southern-city industrial areas of Redfern, Waterloo and Alexandria. The book is due for publication in late 2010.
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The impact of structural racism
Summary
Merindah Donnelly is a Wiradjuri woman from the Gamillaroi community in Tingha NSW. From a young age Merindah was aware of the impact that structural racism has had and continues to have on many Indigenous people.About Merindah Donnelly
Growing up in rural NSW, Merindah was exposed to racism and marginalisation and has since sought to become a spokesperson and ambassador for social justice and Indigenous issues.
Merindah works at the Australia Council for the Arts as the Indigenous Program Officer for Market Development Internationally and Nationally. Her commitment to Indigenous social justice remains a priority and she recognises the rights of Indigenous people to claim, control and enhance their cultural development and cultural maintenance through the arts. She is proud to work for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Division where the principles of self-determination are celebrated.
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Strong Aboriginal women
Summary
Gabi Briggs shares her passion for stories about strong Aboriginal women.About Gabi Briggs
Gabi Briggs is an Anaiwan & Gumbangier woman of Northern NSW working as an Aboriginal Guide with Sydney Learning Adventures. She is currently studying her first year of Bachelor of Fine Arts at the UNSW College of Fine Arts. She has a passionate interest for Indigenous culture and history.
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Sustainability, as per our traditional landowners
Summary
In his talk Dootch will discuss the concept of sustainability from an Indigenous persons perspective and how caring for country is central to his culture and his cause.About Roy 'Dootch' Kennedy
Uncle Roy ‘Dootch’ Kennedy is a Dharawal Traditional Owner and Chairperson of the Illawarra Aboriginal Land Council. He is a negotiator and advocate for Aboriginal rights and has been involved in community and environmental activism for many years. On Boxing Day 2000 Dootch and his cousin set up camp at Sandon Point to raise awareness that the local council had given a developer approval for a housing estate on this site where a traditional Aboriginal Kuradji, or clever man, was buried. Ten years later the Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy remains home for Dootch who is still fighting to protect this important Indigenous site and unique natural environment
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Our ‘foodie’ past through archaeology
Summary
Guide Team leader James Manser, from Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority’s education division Sydney Learning Adventures, talks about how we can learn about our ‘foodie’ past through archaeology.About James Manser
Join James at The Rocks Discovery Museum where you can see, touch and interact with archaeological artefacts discovered in the local area, and you learn about what they tell us about our eating and drinking habits in times past.
James has been responsible for the implementation of archaeological and built environment education programs in The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Chinatown and Pyrmont. Since 2001, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority has developed and implemented archaeology-related school excursions for children up to 18 years.
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Let the river's run let all people be one colour
Summary
Nambrimbrii (Let the river's run let all people be one colour) will be the focus of his speech, creating an atmosphere of spiritual cognition. Richard has a wealth of spoken word monologues relating to the two hundred years of historical occupation.About Richard Green
He will perform contemporary song of his ancestors and try to encourage people to discover the truth and beauty of Aboriginal Australia.
Richard Green is of the Irish/Darug of Western Sydney, he is of the Boorooberongle people of Burramattagal. Richard is of the Webb/Green family bloodline and is highly regarded as a Yellamundie (storyteller, singer and historian). Richard’s alter ego, singer/songwriter Dr Greenthum is regularly aired on Gadigal Radio 93.7 FM. Richard is in constant demand as an Australian actor and has recently appeared as the voice of Germain and language tutor on the Chris Burke series of the 'Yarramundie Kids'.
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The influence of Indigenous women
Summary
This talk will focus on the importance of Indigenous women and the many roles they have played in the overall development of Australia’s Indigenous history, from traditional times to the present.About James Wilson-Miller
It will highlight areas where the influence of women far outweighs that of Indigenous men through their everyday role as educators, child carers, camp builders, food collectors, decision-makers, peacekeepers, artists, storytellers and healers. It will also be centred on women from Gringai Clan of the Wonnarua Nation in the Hunter Valley, NSW.
James Wilson-Miller has been Section Head and Curator of Koori History and Culture at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, for the past 14 years. He is an experienced researcher, well-known Koori historian and the author of the best seller, Koori: A Will To Win, based on the Koori female line of his immediate and extended families. In September 1998, he became the first Koori historian to give the prestigious annual History Council address. James is respected by Koori Elders, educators and community members as well as his non-Koori colleagues and in 2001 was awarded the Centenary of Federation Centenary Medal for Services to the Community.
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Indigenous heritage and bush foods
Summary
Aboriginal guide Jess Sinnott talks bush tucker. Learn about Indigenous heritage and bush foods with an experienced Aboriginal guide. Jess will share her knowledge of the fruits, vegetables and meats seasonably available to Aboriginal people in the Sydney area and even bring along some traditional fare for the audience to taste.About Jess Sinnott
Jess currently works as an Aboriginal guide with Sydney Learning Adventures, as an Aboriginal education officer with Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens and as an Aboriginal discovery ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. An experienced guide, interpreter and heritage officer, Jess is skilled in delivering tours, programs and workshops that give everyone an opportunity to share in the knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture.
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The history of the Byrne family
Summary
Val Garner, accomplished family historian and author, divulges captivating snippets from the history of the Byrne family, who have resided in The Rocks since Irish rebel Richard Byrne returned from a stint on Norfolk Island in 1805.About Val Garner
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Masterchef is turning us into a nation of food snobs!
Summary
NSW school students will whisk, baste, broil and fry the provocation “That Masterchef is turning us into a nation of food snobs!”About NSW Schools Debate
Facilitated by Lloyd Cameron, the speaking competitions coordinator of The Arts Unit
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1891 Royal Commission on Alleged Chinese Gambling and Immorality
Summary
Monique Galloway, archaeologist and special heritage project officer for Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, talks about the 1891 Royal Commission on Alleged Chinese Gambling and Immorality and Charges of Bribery against Members of the Police Force.About Monique Galloway
Monique is part of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority’s team of skilled archaeologists who conserve, manage and interpret the significant natural and cultural heritage resources that exist within its jurisdiction. In 2008 Monique was selected to participate in the ICOMOS International Internship program, where she was employed in The Presidio Trust’s Archaeology Laboratory and assisted as an educator with summer camps teaching archaeology to American school children.
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Researching Aboriginal family history
Summary
Indigenous Services Librarians and authors Melissa Jackson and Ronald Briggs give their expert advice on researching Aboriginal family history and demonstrate the online resources available through the State Library of NSW website.About Melissa Jackson & Ronald Briggs
