Under the Big Top - Circus in Australia: 1847-2025, a talk by Dr Mark St Leon
2025-07-27 14:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Dr Mark St Leon is descended from one of Australia’s earliest circus families, and is the author of the definitive history of circus in Australia, Circus: The Australian Story [Melbourne Books, 2011].Having obtained a Bachelor of Economics, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant, serving as Senior Finance Officer (1983-1994) of the Australia Council, the Federal Government’s arts funding and policy advisory body, overseeing funding and financial management of Australia’s major funded arts organisations.Mark’s research for the Australia Council into the overall state of the nation’s circus industry led to the Circus Summit, convened in Melbourne in 1991, the first national conference of circus people, which resulted in the establishment of a national circus school, the National Institute of Circus Arts.He devised and launched the ‘AMAG’ concept, the Arts Management Advisory Groups. The Sydney branch [‘SAMAG’] is now in its 34th year of continuous, non-profit operation.Mark’s illustrated talk will be, as usual, followed by some light refreshment.

Coming to Our Rescue: Seventy Years of the SES
2025-08-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
The NSW SES was founded in 1955 and serves the community of NSW as the lead agency for flood, storm and tsunami, as specified by the State Emergency Service Act 1989 (NSW).Peter Kaye, a retired Commander of the State Emergency Service Ashfield branch has undertaken to address us on the History of the Service in our area. He has a wealth of experience in dealing with the results of disasters in our community, and we can expect many anecdotes garnered from his time in the service.This links well with the State Government History Week in early September – theme Water Stories – recalling the Service’s beginnings in the catastrophic Hunter River floods of the 1950s.Peter’s talk will be, as usual, followed by some light refreshment.

History and Drama of Callan Park
2025-09-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Writer’s Centre Callan Park, Balmain Road, Lilyfield, NSW, 2040, Australia
Callan Park is one of the largest heritage cultural landscapes in the metropolitan area, increasingly threatened by development plans.

We are privileged to have Hall Greenland, Friends of Callan Park President, taking our group through significant parts of the site, starting at the c1839 Garry Owen House, the original estate mansion (later renamed Callan Park House – which gave its name to the asylum).

We will circle the original asylum – Kirkbride, walk past the Convalescent Cottages (part of James Barnet’s original plan), on to Callan Point, then past the 1931 Sydney Harbour Bridge War Memorial designed by Douglas Grant.

We next visit Broughton Hall, the adjacent psychiatric clinic with its glorious horticulture specimens and depression era stonework.

The tour will discuss the site’s rich and storied history from Indigenous presence at the site to the most recent changes – the demolition of veterans’ foreshore wards to generate foreshore parkland, and the most recent proposal for the demolition of buildings in the middle of the landscape.

The FOCP has published three books on the Park, all will be available at the bargain price of $10 each

Their tour fee is $25.00 per person, payable directly to the Friends of Callan Park.

Meeting point for the tour is the Writers Centre – well signposted from the main entrance on Balmain Road (opposite Cecily Street), and identified on Google Maps. Parking available.

Parramatta Female Factory Visit
2025-10-25 10:00 - 13:00 | Parramatta Female Factory Bicentenary Memorial Wall, Greenup Drive, North Parramatta, NSW, Australia
Please Note…This is a Saturday Event

Concurrent with this year’s 198th annual Riot Day organised by the Parramatta Female Factory Friends. Riot Day is one of the rare occasions when access to interiors of some of the buildings is possible, so we have arranged to have a special guided tour starting at 10am, dedicated for ourA&DHS group. This will have the advantage of allowing members to experience some of the activities and speakers throughout the day.

This tour brings to life the extraordinary stories of the women and children who shaped our Nation’s early history – in a place that echoes with resilience, reform, and change.

The Parramatta Female Factory is one of Australia’s significant intact Historic sites. Dating from 1818, it’s a Francis Greenway design, commissioned by Governor Macquarie to house and employ many of the 25 thousand female convicts transported to Australia, and who feature in the family trees of many Australians. The site is currently threatened by potential unsympathetic development.

Public Transport to the site is straightforward. From Parramatta Rail Station it’s a 5 minute walk to Parramatta Square Light Rail stop, with a tram every 10 minutes to Ngara stop, where a short walk sees you in the heart of the precinct.

Parking on site is not available, and much of the surrounding street parking is 4 hour limited.

The Riot Days have proven very popular over the years, so a dedicated tour is a favourable gain For those who wish to fully experience the activities on offer.

The meeting point will be the Bicentenary Memorial Wall in Greenup Drive.

The Friend’s charge for these tours is normally $20, but we may negotiate a discount.

We need commitment from sufficient participants to confirm this tour, which will be limited to 20 people, so early registration would be appreciated.

A Show and Tell afternoon
2025-11-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Our own Antiques Road Show, something in which all can participate. Dig out those heirlooms or collectables, or simply some nostalgic piece for display or to talk about.

There will be room to display your treasures – you can bring as many as you can carry. It may even be just a memory you would like to share, and of course there will be a sumptuous afternoon tea.

Participants bringing an item to show and tell will be admitted free, otherwise the usual $5 member/$10 non-member will apply.

Can you stump everyone with a true mystery item ?

What will be the oldest or most unusual item ?

Register through the website please.

Christmas Get Together
2025-12-07 13:00 - 16:00 | NSW
The members’ Christmas get-together this year will be on Sunday 7th December, starting as usual from 1pm, generously hosted at a member’s home in Haberfield.

Please register for this event – in order to retain control of our numbers, we intend passing the address of the home to registered participants only, a few days prior to the day.

Our hosts will provide barbecuing facilities and eating utensils, glasses, etc. Each participant should bring their own food for barbecuing, your choice of drinks, and a side-dish to share – which we will need to coordinate, so please advise your intention in the “message” column when registering, or by email.

Please bring along your review of the events organised for this year and, any suggestions for possible events in 2026!

Our fingers are crossed for a fine, balmy day !!

A&DHS Annual General Meeting
2026-02-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Convicts, Speculators and Settlers – Who would have guessed about this early history of Ashfield!: Guest speaker Committee Member Kerry Barlow,

AGM

The Society’s Annual General Meeting is one of the key events of the year. The President will present report on the activities of previous year, and new Officer Bearers and Committee Members will be elected.

Kerry Barlow

Kerry has an extensive background in education, having taught economics, economic history and education for many years, at high school, TAFE and university levels. Kerry also has strong skills in research, having conducted numerous funded projects and published many reports, articles and learning guides on a wide range of social and economic issues. Some of her passions lie in family and local history research, and she used her teaching and research expertise to develop genealogy courses for the WEA, which she taught for 8 years until recently. Currently she is writing brief articles for the ADHS Journals and enjoying learning much more about our local cultural and social heritage.

At the AGM, David Rollinson will launch Kerry’s book on Federal-Fyle Heritage Conservation Area. This will be available for financial ADHS members to collect on the day.

Walking tour of the historic Federal Fyle Heritage Conservation Area
2026-03-22 14:00 - 16:00 | Bruce Street Reserve, Cnr Elizabeth Street and Liverpool Road, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia
Exactly half-way between Summer Hill & Ashfield Stations.

Start location = The Bruce Street Reserve at the corner of Elizabeth St and Liverpool Road.

This event for March 22 has been fully booked but we will be repeating the walk on April 12.. Please register for this event.

Members, especially those who attended Kerry’s presentation at the AGM of her book “Early Settlers, Speculators and Houses” will have the opportunity of visiting this fascinating small Heritage Conservation Area under guidance of the author, a resident and passionate advocate of its history. Blocks from the sale of part of the Canterbury Estate in 1841 were eagerly bought up by a mix of characters, many with interesting pasts, several with significant futures. Erected on these blocks were some of the earliest houses, over a decade before the railway was constructed.

The buildings remaining from this early activity are complemented by a mostly harmonious group of well-designed and built properties, some sympathetically maintained by proud owners.

A fascinating enclave in the middle of bustling modern Ashfield.

Repeat Walking tour of the historic Federal Fyle Heritage Conservation Area
2026-04-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Bruce Street Reserve, Cnr Elizabeth Street and Liverpool Road, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia
Start location = The Bruce Street Reserve at the corner of Elizabeth St and Liverpool Road.

Many members were disappointed at missing out on the first walking tour so Kerry has agreed to repeat of the March 22 walk. Please register for this event.

Members, especially those who attended Kerry’s presentation at the AGM of her book “Early Settlers, Speculators and Houses” will have the opportunity of visiting this fascinating small Heritage Conservation Area under guidance of the author, a resident and passionate advocate of its history. Blocks from the sale of part of the Canterbury Estate in 1841 were eagerly bought up by a mix of characters, many with interesting pasts, several with significant futures. Erected on these blocks were some of the earliest houses, over a decade before the railway was constructed.

The buildings remaining from this early activity are complemented by a mostly harmonious group of well-designed and built properties, some sympathetically maintained by proud owners.

A fascinating enclave in the middle of bustling modern Ashfield.

$5 Cash only on the day

The GreenWay and Long Cove Creek - A Guided Walk uncovering Layers of Change #1.
2026-04-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Johnson Park Dulwich Hill, Rocket Street Library, Dulwich Hill, NSW, 2203, Australia
The newly connectedGreenWay path passes through an extraordinary urban landscape with dense local history. It is an ecological corridor as well as an active transport route and outdoor classroom. Join us on this tour exploring the complex relationships between our society, the biodiversity corridor, the often hidden Long Cove Creek, and the surrounding built environment.

Meeting: 1pm at the rocket at the Eastern end of Johnson Park, Dulwich Hill (beside Arlington Light Rail stop on the L1 line).Choice of two Dates (the same tour will be repeated): Sunday 19th April or Sunday 17th May 2026Tour End: Parramatta Road (beside Taverners Hill Light Rail stop)Duration: Approximately 2 hours (with option to extend for those who wish to continue to Iron Cove).

Your Tour Leaders:Alex Lofts – former Ashfield Councillor and Chair of the GreenWay Community ForumMark Sabolch – author of the “Hawthorne Canal, The History of Long Cove Creek” and member of first IWEG bushcare group

Mark Matheson – read all the records of the former Petersham Municipal Council and produced the booklet “Victorian Villas” which won the National Trust Heritage Award of that year.

Susan Thompson – Professor of Planning at UNSW; Educator using the GreenWay as an outdoor classroom (read more here).

Copies of the book “Hawthorne Canal, The History of Long Cove Creek” and “Victorian Villas” will be available to purchase.

Register: Click on the Register Button above..

Bring / Wear: A water bottle; wear closed-in walking shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)

The GreenWay and Long Cove Creek – A Guided Walk uncovering Layers of Change. #2
2026-05-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Johnson Park Dulwich Hill, Rocket Street Library, Dulwich Hill, NSW, 2203, Australia
The newly connected GreenWay path passes through an extraordinary urban landscape with dense local history. It is an ecological corridor as well as an active transport route and outdoor classroom. Join us on this tour exploring the complex relationships between our society, the biodiversity corridor, the often hidden Long Cove Creek, and the surrounding built environment.

Meeting: 1pm at the rocket at the Eastern end of Johnson Park, Dulwich Hill (beside Arlington Light Rail stop on the L1 line).Choice of two Dates (the same tour will be repeated): Sunday 19th April or Sunday 17th May 2026Tour End: Parramatta Road (beside Taverners Hill Light Rail stop)Duration: Approximately 2 hours (with option to extend for those who wish to continue to Iron Cove).

Your Tour Leaders:Alex Lofts – former Ashfield Councillor and Chair of the GreenWay Community ForumMark Sabolch – author of the “Hawthorne Canal, The History of Long Cove Creek” and member of first IWEG bushcare group

Mark Matheson – read all the records of the former Petersham Municipal Council and produced the booklet “Victorian Villas” which won the National Trust Heritage Award of that year.

Susan Thompson – Professor of Planning at UNSW; Educator using the GreenWay as an outdoor classroom (read more here).

Copies of the book “Hawthorne Canal, The History of Long Cove Creek” and “Victorian Villas” will be available to purchase.

Register: Sign up details (ADHS website).

Bring / Wear: A water bottle; wear closed-in walking shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)

The mysterious world of Land Surveying, the meaning of the survey marks, presented by Heritage Land Surveyor Kevin Song
2026-06-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Heritage Land Surveyor Kevin Song will lead us in to the mysterious world of Land Surveying, the meaning of the survey marks we see in odd places, and the arcane process of land identification.

The connection between Ashfield, Summer Hill, the rabbit plagues, and the Australian Steel Industry
2026-07-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Ashfield, Summer Hill, and the Rabbit Plague

For over 100 years, the Lysaght Wire Mill at Chiswick produced most of Australia’s fencing materials, significantly the wire netting of which thousands of Kilometres was used in rabbit-control fencing, in a never-quite-successful attempt to eradicate these cute, fluffy introduced creatures which were determined to destroy our farming industry.Ashfield and Summer Hill, perhaps surprisingly, played a part in the battle to control the burgeoning population of these pests, being heavily involved in the distribution of Lysaght’s products throughout Australia during much of last century.Much of engineer Brian Gray’s working life was spent in this industry, and his travels and experiences facilitating effective use of these products in the unending pursuit of the pesky rabbits provide him with much to tell us about this phase of our local history.

History Week: The Evolution of the Federation Style
2026-09-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
Mark Sabolch will explore the cultural trends that enabled the Federation style to replace the formerly popular Victorian Italianate

Tour of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd Sisters at Glentworth, Ashfield.
2026-10-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd Sisters, 137 Victoria Street, Ashfield, New South Wales
Daf Hewson, a Society member,will lead guided viewing of accessible parts of Glentwoth House and the Cardinal Freeman Village, followed by Choral Vespers in the magnificent Chapel afterwards. Meeting point to be advised..

This stunning Romanesque Revival Chapel was built by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in 1942. Glentworth is one of Ashfield’s largest old mansions and is a heritage listed property. It was built in 1886 for Frederick Clissold, who was a member of the first Ashfield Council and owned much vacant land in the municipality.

House Inspection; Caroline Stott’s remarkable Federation house in Tintern Road
2026-10-18 14:00 - 16:00 | NSW
A close view of Caroline Stott’s remarkable Federation house in Tintern Road. Mark Sabolch and Caroline will collaborate in explaining significant features of the style

Address in Tintern Road will be emailed to participants

"How and why did the Burra Charter come into existence in 1979?". The Writing of the Burra Charter; Bronwyn Hanna
2026-11-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill, NSW
This presentation aims to explain why the Burra Charter has been so influential on the way heritage is conceived and practised across the globe and also offers insights into the broader history of heritage practice in Australia.

The Burra Charter was the result of two weekends of concentrated discussion in 1979 by a small committee of Australia ICOMOS experts. Subsequent revisions were made by ICOMOS members in 1999 and 2013.

Dr Bronwyn Hanna is a heritage consultant who trained as an Australianarchitectural historian at the University of Sydney, completed a PhD on the history of women architects in NSW in 1999 at UNSW, and co-authored two books on the topic. She has worked for government, industry and community groups on many heritage places including the Sydney Opera House, the Parramatta Female Factory and the Brewarrina Fish Traps.
