Hunter Living Histories August 2026 Showcase – The Joys of Recollect, Autonomy Day Pranks & Brass Bands

 

Join us at 1.00pm-2.30pm for the University Library’s monthly Hunter Living Histories showcase.
All Welcome.

WHERE: via (ZOOM link HERE) or in person Room L326, Auchmuty Library, Callaghan Campus, Newcastle.
(See ONLINE MAP)

WHEN –  Monday 3 August 2026 (1.00pm-2.30pm)

Afternoon Tea will be provided for those attending in person (from 12.30pm)

 

WELCOME & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO COUNTRY

RECENT NEWS & UPDATES

• Vale Leni and Marguerite

Vale Professor Marguerite Johnson and Soulmate Leni Johnson

See more

• HISTORY WEEK 2026: Keeping Stories

  From 5–13 September. Registrations close Monday, 3 August, 2026
  Further Information HERE

 

• EXHIBITION: Finding Home: Life Outside Institutions

  This Exhibition is linked to our ARC grant (led by Professor Catharine Coleborne, with incredible Research Assistance from Tess Gardner and Erica Wright). It opened on the 8 July at 6pm at the University of Newcastle’s Watt Space Gallery until mid-September.
  >Further information HERE.

• BOOK LAUNCHES: “Personalities, Purpose and Place: The Making of Tocal College” by Cameron Archer AM

Tocal College Paterson:
When: Sunday 16 August 2026, 2.00pm
Please book https://www.trybooking.com/DNPGX

Sydney Event:
When: 4.30pm, Wednesday 5 August 2026
Where: Cox Architects, 70 George Street, The Rocks
Please book: https://www.trybooking.com/DNPFSydney event

• Oh My Folklore Instagram Myths, legends and unexplained tales
  

  Emily Connell (our inaugural Vera Deacon Intern) and Tom Kelly (UON Media Production Graduate) have recently been awarded a grant to produce a series of interesting ghostly and mysterious tales from Newcastle and the Hunter Region to the public.

  See: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9320448/oh-my-folklore-awesome-newcastle-grant-boosts-local-myth-project/

 

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie

See more

 

• The Secret DNA of Us.
  • Researchers from the SBS TV Show are producing a program in Newcastle and are looking for participants to take part. The one hour episode the program will be filmed in Newcastle in November this year and they are looking for participants.
  • The program features a group DNA testing of 100 individuals from the one town, tracing the family history using ancestry.com of each person, to create a broad profile of the ethnic origins of the residents of the town, then places that in the context of the history of the town.
  • Only 4 episodes have been screened so far, can be seen, streamed on ’SBS on demand’. See this link https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/watch/2417247299525
  • They are featuring the rich diverse historical themes of Newcastle’s development. They are looking for people with interesting origins and long connections to this region’s history. If you are interested in having a free DNA test, you have to apply and fill in the form at the link in the email below. DNA testing starts on 2 August. If they invite you to be part of the show, you will have to fill out some forms and create a family tree to help them and Ancestry with our research. Here’s the registration link if  interested in participating: https://form.fillout.com/t/gExf5Psob2us

UPDATES

• Regional GLAM Institutions Updates (Hunter National Trust and Newcastle Family History Society)
• GLAMx Lab Updates -Welcome Career-Ready Placement students

1960s Architectural Modernism in Newcastle, NSW

See more

PRESENTATIONS

• “What Recollect can offer oral historians”

  – Hunter Rainbow History Group (John Witte)
  https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/59991

 

• The 1965 Autonomy Day Pranksters– The Harbour Swim – Jeanne Woodlands

What Lies Behind the Autonomy Day Pranksters

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• Storyplace, Museums & Galleries NSW

  – (Bren Donnellan (she/they) Storyplace Manager)
  https://storyplace.org.au/

 

• Brass Band Histories

  – Dr Mark Pinner
  https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/118996

 

Addenda: Autonomy Day 1967

We would like to thank the following three photographers for their Autonomy Day photographs taken on the 19 July 1967:

1) Mr Ross Smith. We scanned his private collection of both colour and black and white slides in 2007. (We have only realised that a number contain a very young Charles Martin, who later created our 3D Virtual Colonial Newcastle).

2) Mrs Katherine Macneill for her donation of black and white photographs that document the 1967 Autonomy Day march.

3) Mr Michael O’Brien who photographed a number of images on the day, and sent us digital copies to be included in this set.

 

NEXT SHOWCASE:  7 September 2026