Voices from the Secret River–Symposium
Join historians, maritime investigators, and raconteurs in an afternoon symposium on trading vessels along the river, first contact art 'ships sailing on sandstone' and tales of skulduggery along the remote tributaries. Enjoy a beautiful grazing lunch in Spencer prior to the symposium.
Maritime historian Peter Rea explores histories of transporting produce and people, shedding light on the various types of vessels and ships that navigated the river, Broken Bay, and the coast, including the Mosquito Fleet and the Lady Nelson. Renowned historian Emeritus Professor Grace Karskens present her latest research in an illustrated talk delving into the world of ‘ships sailing on sandstone,’ focusing on ships and boats depicted in Aboriginal rock art found along Dyarubbin (the Hawkesbury River). Grace will explore some of the ways we might contextualise and think about these pictures of vessels sailing on sandstone, and what they may signify. Actor and storyteller Chris Haywood is the final presenter, ready to captivate us with tales of the river dwellers who lived far enough from Sydney to evade the watchful eyes of the law. Hear about shipwrecks, piracy, smuggling and skulduggery along the hidden tributaries of the Hawkesbury, from Mangrove to Marramarra Creek.