These are the events that we have presented in the past. You can find our past lectures in our podcast section.
A Tasmanian Life
Well-known environmentalist, Bob Brown, will speak about his Tasmanian life.
The wreck of the Neva: uncovering the cover-up
Kevin Todd will present his research into the wreck of the convict transport, Neva, which foundered off King Island in 1835.
AGM, then some Recherche Bay archaeology & its historical context
Following a brief Annual General Meeting, Richie Woolley will present his latest research on the history of Recherche Bay.
Members Night
Three members will present short talks short about their research into Tasmanian history.
The life and death of Margaret Coghlin: the last woman executed in Tasmania
Brian Rieusset will present the story of the last woman executed in Tasmania.
Archaeology of the Picton Road Station
Brad Williams will outline the archaeology of the Picton Convict Road Station and what it can tell us about the convict system in Van Diemen's Land.
'They cannot be worse': Van Diemen's Land and the Bigge enquiry, 1820
Alison will talk about her research into Van Diemen's Land in the 1820's, a well-functioning community or one riven with crime and corruption?
Collecting History
Anita Hansen will discuss what the Royal Society of Tasmania's art collection can tell us about Tasmanian identity.
Revealing Maria Island's hidden convict past
Richard Tuffin will speak about recent findings from a project investigating Maria Island's first convict period.
‘Making libraries free for all’: the case of Launceston 1929-1945
Stefan Petrow will speak about the development of the Launceston Public Library in the 1930s and 1940s.
Eldershaw Memorial Lecture: Naming Country again - place names, mapping and Aboriginal cultural renewal
Grace Karskens will explore the importance and politics of place names in Australia and collaborative approaches for Aboriginal cultural renewal.
'Pariahs of the Orphan School': the effects of stigma
Emeritus Professor Lucy Frost will speak about the consequences for children who passed through Hobart's Orphan Schools at New Town.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: followed by lecture - ‘We're all in this together': Truth-telling and Tasmanian historiography
Henry Reynolds will talk about truth-telling and Tasmanian historiography
Eldershaw Memorial Lecture - Tasmanian Aboriginal Objects: the overlooked archive
In the 2023 Eldershaw Lecture Palawa academic & museum curator Gaye Sculthorpe will explore how studying objects in museum collections can elicit new histories.
My pathway to the Pathway to Truth-Telling and Treaty Project
Professor Kate Warner will speak about her pathway to the Pathway to Truth-Telling and Treaty report.
Forensic Wellingtology
Martin Stone delves further into his investigations of the history of kunanyi/Mt Wellington
Uninnocent Landscapes: following George Augustus Robinson’s Big River mission
Ian Terry will speak about his project following and photographing the route and impact of George Augustus Robinson's Big River Mission.
Dr William Crowther as the fall guy
Cassandra Pybus examines the legacy of Dr William Crowther and the practice of removing Aboriginal skeletal material in colonial Tasmania.
Beyond the Antipodes: threats and fear in the psyche of nineteenth century Tasmania
Anne Green investigates the evolution of fear in nineteenth century Tasmania.
A Tasmanian Life
Architectural historian, Eric Ratcliff, will talk about his extraordinary Tasmanian Life.
Life of Luxury in Van Diemen's Land - the story of wallpapers, wallpaper hangers and at least one murder
Alan Townsend will speak about the role of luxury goods and wallpaper in colonial Tasmania.
From another island far, far away: Tambora and Tasmania
Environmental historian Don Garden will speak about the eruption of Indonesian volcano Mt Tambora in 1815 and its climate impact on Tasmania.
William Collins, entrepreneur
John Short will speak about the career of William Collins, Hobart's first harbourmaster and early colonial businessman.
AGM, followed by Hobart's Jewish history, 1828 to the present
Annual General Meeting followed by the February monthly lecture. Jeff Schneider will speak about Hobart's Jewish history from 1828 to the present.
‘Blooded as Citizen Soldiers’: Tasmanians in the 15th Battalion at Gallipoli April-May 1915
Stefan Petrow will speak about the Gallipoli experiences of Tasmanian soldiers in the 15th Battalion
Western Tasmania – Prospectors and the Post Office
Malcolm Groom will speak about the role of the post office in western Tasmania
Connorville
Excursion to Bridgewater, Ross and the historical property, Connorville, near Cressy. All are associated with the colonial Land Commissioner, Roderic O'Connor.
The papers of Colonel Andrew Geils – an insight into Hobart Town in the 1810s
Malcolm Ward will illuminate the insights into early Hobart Town provided by the papers of Andrew Geils.
Mapping Tasmania’s Chinese history
Kate Bagnall will speak about the history of Chinese people in Tasmania
An Ode to Mrs W. Fletcher’s Music Folios
Carla Baker will speak about the colonial music folios of Hannah Fletcher
Tongerlongeter, speculative history and the right to write
Nick Clements will speak about the research and writing of his recent biography of the colonial Palawa 'chief' Tongerlongeter.
Post World War Two Ukrainian Migration to Tasmania – building a bridge between the archive and community to discover migrant experience
Marina Ladaniwskyj will speak about post World War Two Ukrainian immigration to Tasmania
Preliminary results from an archaeological investigation of the Port Arthur convict workshops, 1830-77
Richard Tuffin will speak about the archaeological investigations at the Port Arthur convict workshops
Eldershaw Lecture - Keeping Tasmanians Safe: Smallpox, quarantine and vaccination in nineteenth-century Tasmania
Michael Bennett will speak about smallpox, quarantine and vaccination in nineteenth century Tasmania
When the country comes to town: the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania
Dianne will speak about the history of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania
CANCELLED
This talk has been cancelled due to COVID and the unavailability of our speaker. We expect to reschedule it to later in the year.
Floating Frontiersmen and Illicit Informal Economies in Britain’s Antipodean Colonies
Kristyn Harman will speak about her research into the links between nineteenth century New Zealand and Van Diemen's Land.
Wellington Park Excursion
Anne McConnell will guide us on an excursion of the Springs, kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
John Scott, sealer of Bass Strait and his ‘forgotten’ Tasmanian Aboriginal descendants
Graeme Broxam will take us to nineteenth century Bass Strait and the Tasmanian Aboriginal descendants of sealer John Scott.
Tasmania v the British Empire: the battle to end convict transportation
Alison Alexander delves into the politics and personalities behind the anti-transportation movement in Van Diemen's Land.
Tasmania’s mystery train hikes of 1932 and the commercialisation of bushwalking
Kirstie Ross will examine the convergence of railways, tourism and bushwalking during the Great Depression.
Female convicts in the New Norfolk Asylum
Dianne Snowden will speak about her research into female convicts incarcerated at the New Norfolk Asylum, the subject of her latest book.
Banks' Florilegium - Society Islands 1769
Curator Leisha Own will provide a talk on this beautiful exhibition of intricate botanical prints and rare journals.
Shaping Hobart: Townscape scale and proportion. Re-viewing the Meehan Plan of 1811
Leigh Woolley will present a talk about landform, townscape and James Meehan's 1811 plan for Hobart.
Paradise Lost: Thomas Griffiths Wainewright
THIS EXCURSION IS NOW FULL. Curatorial talk by Jane Stewart on the Paradise Lost: Thomas Griffiths Wainewright exhibition.
Anything but common: why Van Diemen’s Land never had commons
Imogen Wegman will speak about the lack of commons in Van Diemen’s Land.
Wellington Park Excursion
Following her presentation on Tuesday Anne McConnell will guide us on an excursion around the Springs, Mount Wellington.
The history of scenic tourism and recreation on kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Anne McConnell will speak about the history of scenic tourism and recreation on kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Tasmania.
Chauncy Vale Excursion
Excursion to the Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary, home of the Tasmanian children's author, Nan Chauncy.
A Tasmanian Life
Margaret Reynolds will present a talk about her Tasmanian Life.
Waddamana Power Station: vision and amnesia
Chris Tassell will be presenting a talk about the Waddamana Power Station.
Truth telling at the University of Tasmania and in Tasmania generally
Henry Reynolds will be presenting this talk as part of our Annual General Meeting.