Novocastrian Tales Yallarwah Place - Hunter Living Histories

This work respectfully honours the First Australian People, the Aboriginal People of this land.

Novocastrian Tales 1997

We all wish to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the launch of the book Novocastrian Tales by author Paul F. Walsh OAM on the 5 September 1997.

It was a special project, as contributions from the 40 authors and donors raised over $600,000 to create an Aboriginal accommodation centre in the grounds of the John Hunter Hospital.

Yallarwah Place Opening 19 February 1999 [Photo Credit: Gionni Di Gravio] — Yallarwah Place Opening 1999

Opening of Yallarwah Place 1999

Yallarwah Place, recognised as the first combined indigenous/non-indigenous reconciliation memorial in Australian history, opened on Friday 19th February 1999.

Paul did much of his background research in the Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit of Auchmuty Library (now Special Collections).

He selected a number of plates from the early historical works which were digitised for the book. Illustrations depicting Biraban and Threlkeld were framed and displayed in Yallarwah itself.

The University’s Gifts to the Project

The framed works of Biraban and Threlkeld, with the bronze book and plaque, created by sculptor Vlase Nikoleski, were the University of Newcastle’s gifts to the project.