2023 Visiting Scholar at The State Library of New South Wales

Project Member(s): Vanni Accarigi, I.

Funding or Partner Organisation: State Library of New South Wales (The State Library of New South Wales)
State Library of New South Wales (The State Library of New South Wales)

Start year: 2023

Summary: Water has shaped the histories and the making of Green Square and Sydney South. This area is sand dunes and wetlands Country, on the route between Gamai (Botany Bay) and War'ran (Sydney Cove), part of the system of creeks and ephemeral lakes that connected Sydney east to Botany Bay and the Cooks River. The abundance of water is the reason for the early colonization of this place: market gardens, mills, and noxious trades paved the way for the establishment of industries until Green Square became the industrial heartland of Sydney in the first half of the 20th century. Yet many water stories remain untold. This project (related to the project funded by the City of Sydney for 2022-2023 ) foregrounds the water histories of Green Square in an atlas, walking tours, and academic articles. Green Square is considered as a living archive: objects in the landscape, like old pub signs, maintenance holes, ponds, and bridges, are imagined as 'portals', gateways to access the archive of water stories and prompts for storytelling. The Visiting Scholarship at SLNSW will make it possible to work with archivists and librarians on the original materials held by SLNSW.

FOR Codes: Environment and culture, Environmental history, CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.