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Entrepreneur and bar owner who established two pioneering drag bars - Chez Ivy in Bondi Junction in 1962 and Ivy's Birdcage on Oxford Street in 1967. In an interview with Sydney's Pride History Group, Richter described the widespread homophobia experienced by her patrons in…

Exploratory expedition to the Antarctic led by Lieutenant Naoshi Shirase. The expedition sailed on a 204 ton, 100 feet long converted wooden fishing boat with an 18-horse-power auxiliary engine, the Kainan Maru, that was captained by Naokichi Nomura. The ship left…

English-born Thomas Ley came to Sydney as a child, and despite little formal education, became a solicitor in 1914, and a National Party member of the Legislative Assembly in 1917. He was minister for justice 1922-25. In the late twenties, a number of his opponents…

Built on the traditional land of the Gundungurra people, the settlement on the western road over the mountains was a lonely outpost until the 1870s when it was named Katoomba and became a mining and tourist town. With the advent of the motor car, Katoomba became even more…

FCAATSI is best known for its work campaigning for a 'Yes' vote in the 1967 referendum which changed the constitution to allow the Federal government to legislate for Aboriginal people. In Sydney, it also raised awareness about the working conditions and…

Popular bar and coffee lounge in Coogee. Established by William 'Pop' Stones and wife Bridget, it became famous all over Sydney. Patrons sat at marble tables and ordered milkshakes or their renowned fruit cocktails with penny ice cream. Amateur performers provided…

Convict who arrived in Sydney as part of the First Fleet. He was convicted in London 1784 of highway robbery and sentenced to 14 years transportation to America, but escaped after a convict mutiny on the Mercury. He was recaptured and departed for New South Wales on the…

Two storey brick hotel on the corner of George Street North and Mill Lane in the Rocks that was built in 1848 and demolished in 1908 after having been resumed by the government in 1901 after the outbreak of plague in the area. The Observatory was also built in 1848 and the…

The Australian National Maritime Museum is Australia's national centre for maritime collections, exhibitions, research and archaeology. As Sydney's most visible national cultural institution, it is committed to connecting audiences right across Australia in both urban and…

The Ashby Research Service was Australia’s first independent market research firm, operating in Sydney from 1936 to 1974. Established by Sylvia Ashby and principally located in Bridge Street, the Ashby Research Service was best known for…