The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

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Katoomba and coal

Katoomba coal mine 1886 . By Samuel Calvert. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria IAN16/10/86/172 First up, I'd like to do a shout out to our marvelous multi-talented multi-tasking editor Jacqueline Spedding whose beautiful artwork work 'Transcend' has been…

We heart Sydney Town Hall

Sydney Town Hall c1894. By Henry King. Contributed by Powerhouse Museum 85/1285-81 Tyrrell Photographic Collection Our friends at the City of Sydney (major supporters of the Dictionary) are having an open day from 10 - 3pm in the Lower Town Hall. And…

Cockatoo Island

The Fitzroy Dock, Cockatoo Island c1875. By John Lane Mullins. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales, A1939028/PXA 420, 13a Mitchell Library From an Aboriginal meeting place to prison, reformatory, shipyard and now one of the key…

Sydney Harbour islands

Cadet Ron Whelan from the Snapper Island sea training depot at the wheel of the Canadian five-masted schooner City of Alberni on its visit to Sydney c1940. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria, A H98.105/2225 How many islands in…

Sydney's Royal Easter Show

Lost at the Royal Easter Show, Moore Park 18 April 1938. By Sam Hood. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales, hood_17093 / Home and Away 17093, Mitchell Library) Sydney's Royal Easter Show is the nation's largest…

Sydney's whaling history

South Sea Whalers boiling blubber c1876. By Oswald Brierly. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales A128893 / DG 366 Dixson Galleries There's been more than one shift in the chair this week with our guest historian,…

Epidemics

Nurses leaving Blackfriars Depot, Chippendale 1919. Contributed by State Records New South Wales, NRS4481_St6674 With the threat of winter flu upon us and recent news of an increase in children contracting measles, Tim and Lisa talked epidemics this morning on 2SER…

Irish Famine Memorial Hyde Park

Irish Famine Memorial Hyde Park Barracks. Photo: Mike Stacey for the Dictionary of Sydney, 2014 Last week the Dictionary of Sydney, with assistance from the Irish Consulate General - Sydney, launched the Old Irish Sydney walking app for smart phones. The…

St Patrick's Day

St Patrick's Day in the new land 1880. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales TN115. Illustrated Sydney News, 20 March 1880, p5 From parliamentarians to publicans, the Irish are interwoven into the fabric of Sydney’s community.…

Artist colony

Artist Colony: State Library of New South Wales, Exhibition Galleries, 1 Mar 2014 – 11 May 2014 After a few weeks offline writing, I was back on the airwaves this morning with Tim Higgins on 2SER. A big thank you to…