Have you ever wondered who designed the Parramatta weir under the Bernie Banton Bridge and when it was built? Trawling through the available records 'unearthed' a surprise result of a relatively forgotten colonial character during the Macquarie period.

'Unearthing' momentous local and world achievements brought about by the brilliance of surveyors whose talents and excellence have left the world with a magnificent collection of landmarks and discoveries.

To celebrate the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival, the Local and Family History team will be offering training in Ancestry and FindMyPast genealogical databases. If you have ever wanted to research your family history but do not know where to start, come along and learn about resources and tools to get started.

Celebrate the Australian Heritage Festival with a guided tour of Elizabeth Farm, Hambledon Cottage and Experiment Farm Cottage.  

Visit this hidden gem in Sydney's south west on Sunday April 27th. "Linnwood" is a gentleman's country retreat built in 1891 and sits on 5 hectares at Guildford. As well as viewing new displays at the property, visitors can enjoy a delicious Devonshire tea. Ample free onsite parking

Wander through the beautiful Sorensen garden, enjoy devonshire tea in the downstairs refectory, join an informative tour of the House ($10pp) or listen to a garden talk.

Join historians, maritime investigators, musicians and raconteurs on a river cruise along the Hawkesbury River on the MV Clarence Head. Plus symposium on trading vessels, first contact art 'ships sailing on stone' and tales of skulduggery along the river. A delightful grazing lunch ashore.

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.

Be taken back in time on a Dyarrubin/Hawkesbury River cruise with a difference: indigenous foodways + Irish women migration + Hawkesbury Tourism. Enjoy a beautiful grazing lunch in Spencer after the river cruise.

Kayak the serene waterway of Popran Creek. All kayaks, gear included + morning tea and lunch.

* Morning Tea at Neverfail community settlement
* Historical Storytelling about river tales and mystery revealing the past
* Launch at the meeting of the Hawkesbury River and Mangrove Creeks

Unearth the history of the Chinese Market Gardens in Ryde in the late 19th and early 20th centuries! This bilingual event in English and Mandarin will explore the history of the Chinese gardeners and market gardens in the City of Ryde in its early days.

Join us on the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival's Walk; the Heritage Team will guide you through the vibrant streets of Cabramatta. This unique experience will retrace the influences of dominant cultural groups over the decades and immerse the visitors in the rich diversity of Fairfield City.

Discover the thrilling worlds of palaeontology and archaeology as experts come together to share their field adventures, uncovering both shared insights and key differences. Engage directly with them through live Q&A, and dive deep into these captivating sciences that reveal Earth's history.

Visit the graves of some of our earlier residents, hear their stories, learn their histories. Tours will be virtual and actual. Visit the grave of Granny Smith, creator of the Granny Smith apple and other interesting people. Learn about their lives, and their deaths.

Curious about local history? Ku-ring-gai Library will be presenting a digital display featuring historical photographs from the library’s Local History Collection.

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society holds a vast amount of information on the history of Ku-ring-gai, its buildings, residents and much more.

In 1950, Rose and Max Seidler moved into Sydney’s most modern house designed by their son, Harry. The design of Rose Seidler House was shockingly different but celebrated at the time. Does it still shock after 75 years?

Join us for an Indigenous heritage presentation and guided walk through the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden presented by the Aboriginal Heritage Office. Learn about how Aboriginal people lived, Aboriginal figures of the area, bush tucker, tools, weapons and shelter.

Step into Liverpool’s dark past with Rachel Franks as she uncovers tales of crime and punishment. Explore the historic Liverpool Courthouse, where criminals and their victims faced justice for over a century.

Discover one of the hidden gems of Sydney’s North Shore. Eryldene is the former home of Professor EG Waterhouse and his family. The house was built and its garden created early last century and there you will find one of Australia’s most important collections of camellias.

Eryldene and tea are synonymous: the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, is part of the camellia family and one of the many camellias growing at Eryldene.

Join this heritage walk that highlights how the NSW Government's planning polices threatens Gordon's heritage and environment. Discover what’s at stake.

Why fly to the UK? You can see a rare intact example of a large Edwardian private residential estate, in Sydney, on our Open Day. The Yaralla Estate was developed by the Walker family between 1848 and 1937 as a farm, pleasure garden, residence and one of Sydney’s premiere social destinations.

Join this heritage walk that highlights how the NSW Government's planning polices threatens Killara's heritage and environment. Discover what’s at stake.

The Friends of Ethel Turner will host boutique tours of historic 'Woodlands' Killara on Sunday 18th May. We'll be sharing 'Woodlands' rich heritage and stories of past resident and blue plaque recipient, Ethel Turner, and her classic novel, 'Seven Little Australians'.

The theme for this year's festival is 'Unearthed' and we'll be sharing Woodlands' rich heritage and stories of past resident and blue plaque recipient, Ethel Turner, author of the classic 'Seven Little Australians'.

Join Joy Bryan, daughter of Mr Arthur Newling Swain and Council’s resident gardener Adam for a guided walk and talk through Swain Gardens, followed by a morning tea on the tennis lawn.

Join this heritage walk that highlights how the NSW Government's planning polices threatens Lindfield’s heritage and environment. Discover what’s at stake.

Award winning podcast, documentary maker and musician, Simon Reich, has created "Bonegilla - The migrants journey”, which immerses you in a world of hardships endured by war ravaged migrants and their brave pursuit of a better life in Australia.

Join this heritage walk that highlights how the NSW Government's planning polices threatens Roseville’s heritage and environment. Discover what’s at stake.

Unearth a piece of Lane Cove's history. On this special Open Day weekend, explore Carisbrook Historic House and enjoy Devonshire Tea in the courtyard. Overlooking the Lane Cove River, travel back in time to the Victorian Era.

The Ku-ring-gai Art Society Heritage Exhibition - Celebrating 60 Years

A tour looking at the symbols on the headstones in the graveyard established in 1848. and the messages they convey.

Kevan’s work is wide ranging including portraits of rock and pop icons and celebrities.

Come and unearth the cultural diversity of the people of Willoughby in our latest temporary exhibition supported by a Community Grant from Willoughby City Council.

Join a tour of the heritage listed Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery which will unlock some of the stories of the lesser known pioneers of Sydney's north shore

A walking tour from Popran to Warrah Lookout connecting historical landscapes and waterways. Hear Indigenous and European histories of Broken Bay - magnificent views from the sea, to Lion Island, Pittwater and the mouth of the Hawkesbury River. Coffee and cake at Patonga boathouse.

Get ready for the ultimate island adventure! On Sunday 4 May, Cockatoo Island will come alive as we celebrate the Australian Heritage Festival 2025 and offer a range of free and paid activities to excite families!

Historic walking tour of Callan Park to learn about its early Aboriginal associations, its establishment as a psychiatric asylum, home to veterans of WWI and WWII and today it's one of Sydney's iconic parklands.

Meet the Author and hear his account of researching his book, and his account of the circumstances prevailing in the early years of settlement.

Explore the historical remains of Dubbo Gully when Mangrove Creek was a thriving river community with wharves, inns, and slab homes. Visit hidden sites, Fairview homestead and St Thomas Cemetery.

Find out how to write a family history that people want to read! Join sought after presenter Keith Whelan for this informative and fun workshop. Also includes a display from Jo O'Brien from Camden Area Family History Society. A must for any writer, researcher and / or historian!

Discover how Marion Mahony and Walter Burley Griffin created a unique neighbourhood that celebrated the beauty of the Australian bush.

Hear about the men who enlisted from Callan Park – and those who returned shell-shocked to convalesce here. Roslyn Burge, author of "Callan Park's Veterans: A Century of Connections" will speak about veterans at Callan Park and the significance of Callan Park’s two War Memorials.

Celebrate our ‘First Landscapes' project launch and the Balmain Association’s 60th anniversary. Experience our ‘illuminating’ evening event and place activation of the Balmain Watch House. Join us as we begin an initiative in meaningful conversation, reconciliation and regenerative placemaking.

Step back in time, join us for a fun-filled weekend cruise aboard historic steamer: 1902 Steam Tug Waratah!

Discover some of the artefacts unearthed during the pain-staking archaeological dig by heritage firm Casey & Lowe in 2018 at Blues Point, prior to the construction of the Sydney Metro Tunnel.

This special exhibition commemorates the 150th anniversary of one of the greatest photographic achievements in Australia: the creation of the ‘Holtermann Panorama’ of Sydney Harbour by Charles Bayliss in 1875.

Join a guided walking tour and enjoy exclusive access to view the Graythwaite site that sits within Shore, North Sydney. Discover the story of the site from its beginnings as a stone cottage to a grand 19th century estate. View artefacts that were unearthed from the excavation of the site in 2010.

Free Organ Recitals at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Annandale Local History Walk at 1pm ($25)
Devonshire Teas in the Church Hall ($5)
Displays of local and church heritage in the Church Hall
Free church heritage talks at 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm

The Pearl Beach Arboretum Environmental Art Trail (PBEAT) aims to create inspiring temporary public art that promotes nature conservation, supports community identity and increases the cultural vibrancy on the NSW Central Coast. There are over 35 stunning art installations in a bushland setting.

Simon Reich, the award winning podcast creator and film maker, has used his own father's connection to the Bonegilla reception and training centre, which was Australia's version of America's Ellis Island, to create this multi media presentation including live music.

Join us for the much-anticipated book launch of the heritage publication, The Mysterious Disappearance of The Grosvenor - Summer Hill's Lost Movie Palaces. The Astonishing True Story of Summer Hill’s Colossal Lost Movie Palace.

If the surname rings a bell, it should—the poet Henry Lawson is a name many of us know. But the real trailblazer in the family was his mother, Louisa Lawson (1848-1920). Louisa was an Australian poet, farmer, writer, publisher, suffragist, and feminist and a long-time Marrickville resident.

Explore the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s past with Frank Johnson, former Chair of Engineering Heritage Sydney.

These tours will immerse you in the native history of the area, the importance of the land and its significance to the Gadigal people who called the area their home.
Barangaroo Reserve is also home to over 70,000 native plants that are food sources, resources for tools and environmental indicators.

Experience the thrill of ocean sailing on a fully restored Tall Ship from the 1870s: James Craig!

Discover Sydney’s dark past on a true crime walking tour. Uncover notorious crime scenes, daring heists, and the city’s infamous underworld. Step into the violent era of razor-wielding gangsters, where brutal power struggles and bloody turf wars shaped Sydney’s history.

Join Institute of Australian Tour Guides annual workshop, a unique professional development opportunity focused on lesser-known facets of Sydney, designed to enhance your knowledge as a guide. Expert speakers who will reveal fascinating insights into the city’s underexplored histories and culture.

Immerse yourself in Sydney’s rich Aboriginal history, with stories spanning thousands of years to today. Guided by your Climb Leader and First Nations Storyteller, journey to the top of the iconic Harbour Bridge via the Summit Climb route.

Enjoy twilight at May Gibbs' harbourside house in Neutral Bay. At this special after hours event you will be able to watch the sunset over the water from May’s garden, take a guided tour of the historic house and picnic on the lawn. BYO picnic.

Venture back to historic Sydney. A time when prisoners were the law, public executions were commonplace and the Rocks Push ruled the street.

Explore all things ghostly as we visit Sydney's most haunted pubs. Hear about the notorious Rocks Push, vanishing sailors and the Woman In Black. You will discover the seedy underworld of Australia's original seaport.

Now is your chance to explore a gothic revival masterpiece in the heart of Sydney. St Stephen's Anglican, Newtown, are offering tours that tell some of the many fascinating stories from the history of this church building and the graveyard it sits in.

Join City of Sydney Historian Laila Ellmoos as she delves into the inspiring life of Lilian Fowler, who made history when she was elected Australia’s first female mayor in 1938.

Barry Clare is passionate about Art Deco, across its many forms and applications. In this talk he will take us through the challenges facing water supply dams for Sydney, and the innovative architectural and engineering solutions that were developed and still stand today.

Do you have a story to share about living in Georges River? As part of the Australian Heritage Festival we’re inviting you and your families to learn how to document your own oral histories and add to our local studies collections.

The QVB History Tour takes you on a journey to uncover a story of resilience, culture, and progress as you explore one of Sydney's most iconic historical buildings. Built in 1898 as a monument to the long reigning monarch, you will learn about the Queen Victoria Building's creation, near destruction and modern day preservation.

What is the history behind the old Tudor style house at 14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville?
Join us during the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival to discover the history and uses of this amazing building in one of our tours.

Experience life during the Victorian era in one of the oldest homes in the St George District. The State heritage-listed building is home to a wonderful collection of fine antiques and period objects. Enjoy Devonshire Tea on the back verandah with views of Botany Bay.

Our carefully curated tour uncovers the forgotten stories of buildings, people, and places. This journey highlights unique architecture, views, and histories, giving visitors a deeper understanding of each location’s origins, residents, and transformations. Every step paints a picture of the past.

Unearth hidden histories with the City of Sydney Archives in this workshop. Explore archival images and transform them into laser-cut prints. With guidance from experts at Darling Square Library, create a relief plate and print to take home while gaining insight into archival research & printmaking.

Unearth historical images from the City of Sydney Archives to create laser-cut jewellery at Darling Square Library. Guided by expert facilitators, you will personalise earrings or pendants with archival photos of Sydney’s architecture and your design will be laser-cut to create wearable jewellery.

A multimedia exhibition of images, models and demonstrations bringing to life Mosman’s maritime history.

Dr Peter Sheridan AM will discuss aspects of his critically acclaimed 2019 book Sydney Art Deco, which explores the impact of the Art Deco style on Sydney’s landscape and life during the 1930s and 1940s with glimpses of Australian artwork, fashion, furniture, appliances and accessories.

Discover Newtown’s hidden past! Wander old laneways, grand Victorian mansions, and eerie colonial Camperdown Cemetery as you uncover tales of crime, scandal, tragedy and rebellion. From shocking murders to underground subcultures, explore the darker, stranger side of Sydney’s history. Book now!

Researcher and Historian Peter Sheridan explores the impact of the Art Deco style on the landscape and life of Sydney during the 1930s and 1940s with glimpses of Australian artwork, fashion, furniture, appliances and accessories from the period.

Anzac Memorial Unearthed reveals three remarkable collections not previously shown to the public including the Rex Money collection, the TB Association and Kuring-Gai Chase Sphinx collection and new research recently uncovered in Zimbabwe about Captain Alfred Shout VC MC.

On your one-hour tour, walk with your First Nations guide through the the Cadi Jam Ora garden at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney to learn more about Indigenous bush foods and how these foods were used traditionally and adapted to the modern plate and palate and taste some goodies for yourself!

On your one-hour tour, you’ll stroll along the stunning Sydney Harbour foreshore with an experienced First Nations guide and learn about stories of Gadigal lifestyle, traditions, history and connection to country & community.

Explore the Royal Botanic Garden and its remarkable history, botany, and wildlife on an unforgettable 1.5-hour guided walk.

By day, Hyde Park is a peaceful retreat, but by night, it was once a haven for gangsters, radicals, killers and outcasts. Join historian Elliot Lindsay on a journey through 200 years of crime, scandal, and intrigue in Sydney’s oldest park. Step into the past and uncover its darkest secrets.

Join us for an immersive walking tour through Sydney's iconic City Circle stations, where history, intrigue, and urban legends intertwine. This tour will take you through the stations while uncovering their hidden stories, including ghost platforms, wartime secrets, and visionary transport plans.

The Heritage Centre brings alive the spirit of the Sisters of Charity, its history and heritage. It is a creative and inclusive space comprising of a permanent and temporary exhibition, chapel and courtyard, and meeting room.

Join us for the Unearthed Stories Evening, and uncover strange, spooky, and magical tales of the past through objects and stories from the Georges River Libraries and Hurstville Museum & Gallery collections.

Step into the Unearthed Exhibition and discover untold and forgotten stories of Georges River. This free exhibition showcases lesser-known histories and untold stories, through photos, posters, and newspaper articles from the Georges River Libraries Local Studies collection.