The Belvoir St Theatre: Bringing Community Together

For this project I am working with the Belvoir St Theatre, a small theatre located on Gadigal land, in Surry Hills. The origin of the theatre is a story of community engagement. The theatre is housed in an old tomato sauce and salt factory, which used to be the home of the Nimrod Theatre Company. When Nimrod decided to move out of its Surry Hills location, the old factory was threatened to be bought by developers, but in 1984 a group of 600 individuals came together to save the building from developers. The theatre is beloved by theatre-goers in Sydney and has won many awards for its performances, including multiple Helpmann Awards, AWGIE Awards and Sydney Theatre Awards. The work of the Belvoir St Theatre is significant because of their dedication to telling Indigenous stories centered around Indigenous people. Indigenous performance has been a part of the theatre from its beginnings. Sydney is a diverse city, and that is also reflected in Belvoir’s shows. “The Coconut Children” is set to premiere in late November of this year and tells the story of Vietnamese-Australians. LGBTQ+ stories are also common on the Belvoir stage. 

What drew me to the Belvoir St Theatre was openness to telling different stories, both different in the meaning of diverse, but also different from other theatre companies I was familiar with. I grew up abroad and most of the plays and musicals I watched growing up were ‘the classics’, like Annie or Macbeth. Moving back to Sydney and having diverse stories at my finger tips was exciting. These were stories, experiences and perspectives I had not come across before. The theatre is also just around the corner from where I live, and walking past it has become a part of my everyday life. In some way the theatre demanded my attention. The bright red building and the pride flag painted in the entrance stands out and, to me, shows just how proud Belvoir is of its identity and history. The foyer, as well as the warehouse where the box office is located, are also decked out in posters of past Belvoir shows, highlighting both the strong identity and the history of the theatre, spanning over four decades. This pride has been very clear to me so far in this project. My main contact at the theatre has been very keen on showcasing the history of the theatre and the people behind the scenes. 

This project with the Belvoir St Theatre is an oral history in the form of a documentary film. I will interview a diverse crew of people working behind the scenes at Belvoir to tell their story of their theatre. 

The Belvoir St Theatre. Source: belvoir.com.au

The Sydney Tramway Museum: Conserving a 124-year-old Tram

The Sydney Tramway Museum was founded in 1950 and situated within Loftus in the Sutherland Shire. Since its inception, the museum has been growing its collection and site, with the current museum opening in 1982 after moving from site within the nearby National Park. Holding a sizeable collection of Sydney trams, augmented by selections from Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and abroad, the museum seeks to restore and operate historic trams for visitors to view or travel on. Having a long-standing interest in everything relating to vintage vehicles, the Sydney tramway museum was an easy choice for my partner organization. 

E-class Tram 529/530 operating at Randwick in the final few years of public service.

Being the only museum dedicated to the trams of the original Sydney system, the museum exhibits many trams which are one of only a few survivors, or in many cases the final example in existence. The Sydney tramway network was the largest in the southern hemisphere during the interwar years, and yet by February 1961 it had all been removed. Busses and private cars were the successors to the electric trams on Sydney’s roads, with trams hastily withdrawn from service and many thousands burned at Randwick depot. A small collection of trams was initially acquired by the Museum and stored at their site in the Royal national park, with a short stretch of track built for visitors to ride on the operational exhibits. The collection would expand dramatically with many derelict trams resurrected from farmyards or even homes before complete restorations were undertaken. The amount of knowledge and know-how of the members is astounding, with historical practices kept truly alive for both the visitors and behind the scenes.

Sydney R1 and K class trams on the neutral bay service, showing the post-war corridor trams and 1900s 4-wheel trams running alongside.

My work at the tramway museum revolves around a 1902 Sydney E-class tram number 529/530. Built from 1901-1903 at Granville, the Sydney E-class tram is essentially two short 4-wheel trams that are permanently coupled together and thus operate in practice as one singular unit. This makes the E-class highly unique, not only in the fact that 529/530 is the final remaining example, but also internationally few other such designs exist. The vast majority of Sydney’s older single-bogie trams were withdrawn before 1940 as newer bogie trams, and road traffic, took over. Having been stored for several decades, a small team of volunteers have been working to cosmetically rejuvenate the tram for public display for several months. I have joined this team of volunteers and work has been progressing on both the interior and exterior of the tram. Much of this hands-on work has been incredibly rewarding and a great learning experience, I doubt many have applied Shellac to a historic bench made from Tasmanian red cedar in the last 80 years! Restoring 529/530 will complete the collection of fixed bogie trams on display, joining its fellow C, D, K and J class as incredible, and highly improbable, survivors of the Sydney system.

E-class pair 529/530 stand on the Neutral Bay wharf in 1944, its passengers aboard the departing ferry. 529/530 and 499/500 were the only E-class equipped with special brakes to operate the steep descent to the bay. The former retained this equipment into preservation while 499/500 was scrapped.

Beyond my relatively short time volunteering for the Sydney Tramway museum, I have already become a member of the museum and intend to continue working on many of the other trams in the collection. In addition to this, progress is underway for my own training to conduct and drive the museum’s various operational trams for the public.

North Shore Theatre Company: A Look Behind the Curtain

Growing up a kid invested in the Arts and surrounding myself with people who felt the same, I was excited to collaborate with an organisation that leant so much to their community specifically in the Theatre. As a result, it was exciting to partner with the North Shore Theatre Company (NSTC), originally known as the Chatswood Musical Society, and collaborate with them on their history as an organisation and as a feature of the community. This is a volunteer run community theatre organisation that is celebrating their 75th Anniversary and contribution to the community throughout those years. When speaking to the Committee members, they stated that they had boxes of undocumented archives that they wanted to try and arrange into a unique timeline. As a lover of Musical Theatre and someone who had personally attended four performances by them, it was exciting to step in and look behind the curtain.

When I contacted them, the Company was glad to take me in as they needed someone to investigate and document their archives as well as to possibly build a timeline from the contents. As an entirely volunteer group, it impressed me how much each member had already taken on with one already digitising all images and another interviewing their alumni. Stepping in, it was clear that I was a collaborator on a far larger project as opposed to an independent feature. My inclusion on the project by them was swift with a member delivering the contents of their archival boxes as soon as they were in the area and taking multiple trips between us to get them through the door.

We have started with organising as much as we can into excel spreadsheets which is a skill I am having to refine throughout the process. Between my own archival spreadsheets and the organisation’s, the amount of data documented continues to accumulate.

Alumni care deeply for the organisation and demonstrate it through them providing old photos, programs, and guides on where to look for more information. A member that has been especially helpful was the President of the Committee at the time of their 65th Anniversary who created their original timeline. Their 65th Anniversary timeline was traditional with program covers throughout the years. In their 75th iteration, they communicated that they may be interested in doing something different with a display at the Chatswood Library and a timeline with the unique features found throughout their music scores, memos, or old programs to name a few. There is a significant amount of information spread between the NSTC website, their previous timeline work, and several library archives. Putting it together into something as coherent as their 65th is a task that I will be doing with collaboration of the entire team and the assistance of the former President.

The core challenge with this project comes down to the simple fact of time: with each member of the committee and me having limitations on what anyone of us can do, we are having to get creative with how and what information is obtained.

The benefit to the North Shore Theatre Company is that I can support their team effort to document their organisation’s history with the greatest amount of information possible and to present that history to those who have been a part of it for the last 75 years. For that alone, it is a privilege.

Zonta International – Public History Project

Zonta Northen Beaches, 2025, https://zontasaysno.com/

History Beyond the Class Room Project description

For my project I am working with Zonta Northern Beaches, a branch of the organization Zonta International. Internationally Zonta aims to improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health, and professional status of women through service and advocacy. Zonta’s motto is to create; a world where no woman lives in fear of violence, and where gender equality is a reality. At Zonta Northern Beaches they empower women and girls through the Study Grants, supporting women and children leaving domestic violence, creating Breast Care Cushions for women with breast cancer as well as pack birthing kits to ensure safe deliveries in under-resourced and crisis-affected areas worldwide. I have had an ongoing relationship with Zonta Northern Beaches since I was in year eight as both my sisters and myself were recipients of their study grants. Since I have participated in Zonta events and helped them run birthing Kit packing days.I am excited by the opportunity to give back to them after all they have done for my family and myself .

After meeting with Margaret White and Robyn Milat, two Zonta volunteers last week, who among their many roles are also the club’s archivists, I think for my project I am likely to create a history page for their website. Zonta Northern Beaches already has a well established website (Which is linked here), but their website does not have a history page. Additionally within our meeting both Margaret and Robyn expressed some concern with how they felt their club was perceived. They believed some members of the wider community did not understand the diversity in their membership; they believe that some people think that Zonta northern beaches is a tea group for older women. This furthering their concerns that what they actually do is not understood by the community or properly reflected by their website. I hope to help Zonta by creating a history page which reflects both the history of their club as well as the history of some of their members. As part of the History page I would like to create a timeline of the club’s history since it was founded as Zonta Warringah to the present day as Zonta international. I would also like to record a video which documents a group oral history between some of the older and younger Zonta Northern Beaches club members.. I want to ask questions which reflect both their own personal history with the club such as how they joined, as well as the history of the club itself. I hope for this to be included as a video on the history page to help create a multimodal and engaging page. Furthermore, I want to use the feminist action as a grounding framework of my Historical inquiry, of which the Zonta Northern eaches club was founded in the 1970s.

City of Parramatta – Where Sydney’s second CBD meets rich history: Deepening the perception of this iconic suburb. 

My project will be a collaboration with the City of Parramatta’s Cultural Collection Services where I will be working closely with the Heritage Collection Services team to create an interpretive piece of writing that explores the central themes of this institution. This interpretive writing will be an informative educational piece for the public, where I will discuss both the historical facts but also how it connects to the individuals. Whilst also using material culture including archival objects, images, and documents as an interactive medium of learning about our history.

What drew me to this organisation is its strong focus on the local People and its recognition of the significant people and events from Parramatta’s past and how they are guiding the future. I appreciate the blend of architecture, history, culture, religion and the arts as a way to commemorate and share Parramatta’s history.

The recent opening of PHIVE in September 2023, in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD created a new “community, cultural and civic hub” for gathering. The aim of the City of Parramatta is to encourage the community to gather, learn, share ideas and develop cultural understanding and diversity. PHIVE reguarly hosts a vibrant range of performances, events, arts and music festivals.

City of Parramatta will be holding Parramatta Lanes, a food and cultural festival, celebrating local culture, produce, and art. This event is a personal favourite of mine, and will be held in less than 2 weeks, so I highlighly recommend everyone to go!

PHIVE: 5 Parramatta Square | Parramatta History and Heritage

The existing PHIVE interpretive themes, including ‘A Plentiful Place’, ‘A Gathering Place’ and ‘Parramatta People’ is central to the City of Parramatta objective of interpreting, documenting and celebrating Parramatta’s rich heritage. Parramatta’s initiative of the ‘Cultural Strategy (Creative Parramatta)’, officially adopted in 2025, advocates the importance of culture, which is readily expressed through public events, various art forms, and social practices with the aim of ‘defining our community’s values.’

Most recently, in August 2026, the City of Parramatta also officially adopted the Integrated Heritage Strategy. This initiative is a 10-year Roadmap for protecting, encouraging celebration, and promoting the histories of Parramatta, in particular, its First Nations, the Dharug People. In accordance with conserving the City of Parramatta’s significant people, heritage buildings, archaeology, natural landscapes and utilising public history to re-share with the community.

As a young historian, I hope to bring my love of storytelling to visitors, providing an engaging and educational experience, whilst also celebrating the local people and community.

Linking back to my project, an interpretive piece of narrative about historically significant corporations and movements in Parramatta will contribute to this greater movement of inclusion in historical learning. A specific area of interest for me is the preservation of items where objects are the initial item of connection. Most recently, I developed an interest in researching collections and utilising archival materials and oral histories to uncover the provenance of items and its connection to individual stories. 

The objectives and aims of the City of Parramatta drew me to this organisation. However what I was most interested in was the cultural and historical preservation of artifacts, the research done by the Heritage Collection Team (including, Cultural Collections Officers and Heritage Archivists) to uncover and develop a deeper understanding and also the assistance to community members who reach out to find out more about their family history or family heirlooms.

I hope to contribute to this purpose through creating a piece of public history that can encourage discussions and celebration. I hope my contribution becomes one of the many drops of the oceans that provides an informative, interesting and engaging way for the community to gather and learn more about the rich history of Parramatta. 

Australian Theatre for Young People: Staging youth stories for over 60 years

Championing the voices of young people and staging the stories they want to see is not at the top of everyone’s agenda. However, it’s what the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) have been doing best for over 60 years. For good reason, they are known as the incubator of Aussie talent, as their alumni regularly find themselves becoming household names (yes, Nicole Kidman, Rebel Wilson, and Baz Luhrmann are on the list) or giving back to their communities in other ways.

Nicole Kidman, pictured above in 1984, was a part of ATYP’s 1984 production of Spring Awakening.

Having been lucky enough myself to be a part of a flagship production and of their long-running National Studio development program for playwrights, I was curious to look back into this incubator and see what golden eggs I could find. 

Pressing, too, for any not-for-profit organisation in the creative arts, is the matter of funding and engagement. If engaging alumni could guarantee this organisation the security of future youth storytelling, while also reigniting the memories of theatremakers past and present, then this project hopes to deliver just that. So, reconnecting with my former stage alma mater felt natural for History Beyond the Classroom, which requires us to step out of our ivory tower and become public historians for a community organisation of our choice. Luckily for me, ATYP also has a resident archivist, Judith Seeff, who has been building out a vast and detailed archive since 2003, and who also has a wealth of working-history wisdom! 

Staring at the shelves lined with document boxes, not to mention their large off-site storehouse, you get a feel for the countless productions, workshops, and festivals that have platformed the voices of young people over the decades. Despite this far-reaching impact, though, live theatre has always faced ongoing financial pressure, especially within today’s cost-of-living crisis. For the consumer in this environment, going to the theatre with ever-increasing ticket prices becomes a big-ticket spend and highly discretionary item, and thus, one of the first to go. For the theatres, however, it is not any easier, from the on-stage cost of cast, creatives, and set, to the unseen costs of crew, venue hire, insurance, storage, transport, and marketing, to name a few. In 2025, for example, Sydney Theatre Company (STC) made $28.8m in revenue yet still had an operational deficit of $8.8m. One-off funding and increased fundraising ultimately helped turn this around. Similarly, Bell Shakespeare’s expenses of around ~$13m grew faster year-over-year than their income of around ~$12m. 

ATYP have been making stories for young people, by young people, since 1963.

So, if Aussie theatre heavyweights such as STC and Bell Shakespeare struggle to survive on ticket sales alone, how can we ensure the flourishing of developmental spaces like youth theatre, which are more vulnerable to funding cuts? This is where my public history project finds itself. By tracing the tangible impact over the decades, as materialised by ATYP’s alumni’s ongoing success or contributions to the community, I hope to prove their undeniable place in the Australian arts ecosystem. 

Steel City – The Illawarra Historical Society

For my project, I have chosen to work with the Illawarra Historical Society. The IHS is a volunteer-run community organisation that “endeavours to facilitate access to information on history and heritage topics related to the City of Wollongong local government area”. The Illawarra region is centred on the industrial port city of Wollongong, but stretches from the Royal National Park in the north to the Shoalhaven in the south, across several LGAs not covered by the IHS’ mission statement. 

The Society publishes written works relating to the history of Wollongong and the Illawarra, which are available for purchase at the Illawarra Museum or by correspondence. These cover a broad range of topics, from “Scandal, Slander and Interfering with our Neighbours” to “Railways of West Dapto”. I believe that the variety of topics in these publications, and the otherwise insignificant subjects they cover, are a testament to the value of local historical groups such as the IHS. The fact that these stories have an opportunity to be told – even if they possess a niche appeal and might otherwise escape the attention of historians working in the Academy – is important. Where else could someone find a history of the Railways of West Dapto, and who knows what future researcher will be aided by this history existing? I also believe there is value in engaging people who mightn’t ordinarily be passionate about history with stories they are familiar with and can relate to.   

The Museum

The IHS operates a small museum on Market Street in Wollongong’s CBD, which is only open to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays. The museum is housed in the city’s former Post Office, itself a heritage-listed building. The museum houses several permanent exhibits. These largely focus on the day-to-day life of past residents of the Illawarra, with guests able to view a reconstructed classroom, bedroom, and blacksmith’s workshop, among others. The museum also houses some of the Society’s collection of artefacts which aren’t on permanent display, although other material is stored off-site. 

The Illawarra Museum, Wollongong

Why the Illawarra Historical Society?

My hope for my project is to conduct research into the Mt Kembla Mine Disaster of July 31 1902 on behalf of the Society, as I grew up only minutes from the modern mine entrance above the small village of Mt Kembla. Coal mining has a long history in the region, with the Illawarra Escarpment housing multiple former or still operating mines whose products are used in steel production. These include sites at Mt Kembla, Mt Keira, and Russel Vale, among others. I credit my early exposure to the commemoration and retelling of the events of the Disaster as part of why I developed an interest in history as something worth pursuing at the tertiary level. My hope is that I can contribute to that commemoration in a way that is productive for the Illawarra Historical Society and for the community in which I grew up.

Familiarising The Dunera Boys

For my major project, I’ve chosen to work with The Dunera and Queen Mary Association. Members of this not-for-profit organisation do amazing work to preserve the memory of the Dunera Boys, and continue their legacy of education and community. 

After the outbreak of World War II, Britain declared that all “enemy aliens” of the state were to be deported aboard the HMT Dunera and sent to various internment camps in Australia. By July 1940, over 2,000 men of Austrian and German descent (that resided in Britain at the time) found themselves in rural New South Wales and Victoria. Additionally, the RMS Queen Mary sailed 295 “enemy aliens” from Singapore (a British colony at the time). The gruelling, 57-day voyage subjected passengers to inhumane conditions beneath the ship where few saw sunlight before reaching Australia, and many experienced abuse and theft at the hands of British guards. They were interned in Hay and Orange (NSW), and in Tatura (VIC). 

Many of these men would spend years of the war—years of their lives—stuck behind the barbed wire fences in drought-struck Australia, while war waged at home. These internment camps were flooded with some of Europe’s most colourful creatives and brightest academics. Dunera experts, Ken Inglis and Seumas Sparks have noted that “there is no one Dunera or Queen Mary story”. These camps became a mosaic of minds; where one could find artists, photographers, and academics of all walks of life. Composers re-wrote classic compositions from memory alongside their own original scores—to be performed for camp audiences (and sometimes guards) on a piano donated by a local church. Artists like Robert Hofmann and Erwin Fabian never stopped drawing (see above). Their works now serve as chronicles that document the many faces that passed through the camps; they capture isolation and, at times, helplessness that came with living in the internment camps. Despite the confinement, such a vibrant and lively group of men organised an active camp, with a “university”, an (aforementioned) orchestra, and even created a camp currency.

My great grandfather was a Dunera Boy himself. It altered his life completely, and he never would have met his future wife if not for the HMT Dunera. Although his dislike for this period of his life was always reflected in his reluctance to discuss it, when he did, he could always recall the smell of fresh fruit. Working in the camp’s vegetable garden and orchard as a fruit picker, he could still smell the scent of fresh oranges and peaches, straight off the tree, seventy years later.

Ironically, Mark Dunn’s talk on physical sites of public history got me thinking about how these camps don’t exist anymore (as many were demolished and/or now sit on private land). Their memory, for such a unique and specific period of Australian history, is incredibly intangible. It is their memories and their creations that now serve as public history, and breathe life into this history. Furthermore, after reading Darcy Campbell’s reflection on her HSTY3811 project, I knew I wanted to explore a topic that felt a bit more personal (and challenge my own knowledge of the Dunera). After deciding to reach out to this organisation and having a look at their current website, acting-President Michelle was very enthusiastic about producing a digitised public history of notable Dunera Boys. While the Dunera Boys are often collectively studied, their individual lives (both before and after internment) are less accessible to the public. My project would hold a space—a public platform—for the organisation to preserve individual histories on each of the Dunera Boys. It is a collaboration I am very proud of and work that I find immensely rewarding. While every Dunera Boy has passed, the association is led by children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.

Yiu Ming Hung Fook Tong Society

The Yiu Ming Hung Fook Tong Society is a historic Chinese Australian community organisation established by immigrants from the Gaoyao and Gaoming districts of Guangdong Province, China. The society’s presence in Sydney dates back to the 1870s, when an early temple was established in Arncliffe before the community eventually settled in Alexandria. By 1890, a significant proportion of Sydney’s Chinese population had established a community along Retreat Street, near Botany Road in Alexandria, making the area one of Australia’s oldest Chinese residential and cultural communities.

One of the society’s most significant historical and cultural assets is the Yiu Ming Temple, which is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. Constructed between 1908 and 1909, the temple is a rare and well-preserved example of a traditional Chinese village temple, incorporating distinctive Federation-era brickwork and architectural details. The temple is primarily dedicated to Hung Shing, the Chinese sea deity, while also honoring Guan Di and Cai Shen. Its architectural significance and continued religious and cultural functions reflect the society’s longstanding role in preserving Chinese traditions and heritage within the Australian community.
Historically, the Yiu Ming Hung Fook Tong Society played an important role in providing social, practical, financial, and spiritual support to Chinese immigrants in Australia. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese migrants often faced significant challenges, including racial discrimination, economic hardship, language barriers, and social isolation. In response, the society served as a mutual support network, helping newly arrived migrants settle into Australian society while maintaining connections with their ancestral homeland. Beyond providing practical assistance, the society also played also assisted with funeral arrangements and the repatriation of deceased members’ remains to China, reflecting the traditional Chinese belief in maintaining connections with one’s ancestral roots.

The reason why I am interest in this society stems from Australia’s long history of immigration and the significant contributions of Chinese migrants to its multicultural society. As a relatively recent arrival in Australia, I hope that my involvement in this public history project will provide me with a deeper understanding of the experiences, challenges, and everyday lives of early Chinese immigrants and Chinese Australians during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Furthermore, in traditional Chinese culture, the concept of “roots” holds particular significance, representing an individual’s connection to their ancestral homeland, cultural heritage, and sense of identity. This connection is often regarded as something that should be preserved, even across generations and geographical boundaries. Therefore, I am particularly interested in exploring how Chinese Australians, both in the past and present, have understood and maintained their cultural roots while adapting to life in Australia. Through this project, I hope to investigate how their relationships with their ancestral homeland, cultural traditions, and Australian identity have evolved over time.

Yiu Ming Temple, Alexandria, Sydney. Photograph taken by the author, 2026.

Across the Western Suburbs: The Granville Historical Society

For my major project, I have decided to work with the Granville Historical Society. The Granville Historical Society was formed in 1988 by June and Barry Bullivant. The Bullivant’s had a “passion” for the local history of the area, and successive members of the society itself have dedicated over the past 40 years to preserving the local history of Granville. The society has also dedicated a large part of its archival collection to family history and past prominent families of the area.

Everyone has a story, and I find that the study of local history is an important yet sometimes overlooked area of the greater area of historical studies. Looking at local history means understanding the lives and times of ordinary people, as well as the development of the city’s suburbs, local infostructures, urban landscape etc. In a city as big as Sydney, there is a wide range of areas to look at, but each of the histories of these suburbs is as fascinating enough within their own right and should warrant some interest to those who are interested.

I knew that from the very beginning of this project I wanted to look at the development of a suburb within Sydney. I also knew that this project would require me to be physically present with the organisation, so I quickly decided that I wanted to work with an organisation that was close to where I live. It was an obvious choice then, to work with an organisation based around the Western Sydney region.

Soon after, I contacted the Granville Historical Society, and a meeting was soon arranged to discuss my impending project. When I arrived at the organisation’s headquarters in Carlton Street, I explained to the society’s members what my major project was, and after some discussion, the members of the society and myself agreed that a video presentation explaining the history of the organisation would be a good project for myself and society to engage with. Afterwards, I was shown various archival pieces held by the society. This large archival collection, which ranged from old photographs of local rugby league groups to surviving street signages that had been saved from the tip were very interesting to see in person. Many of the pieces within this collection also date as far back as the early 20th and late 19th century! Seeing these pieces gave me a good idea on what sort of materials and collections I would be working with for my video presentation.

There are a few challenges which might occur throughout my research process and the gradual making of this video presentation. For example, since the project will be drawing from an extensive archival collection, a large portion of my research with the organisation will be deciding what sort of material I want to use in the video, and which of this material is relevant to the history of the organisation. At this stage though, these are only trivial compilations, and I am very excited to see where this project takes me over the next month!