Wollongong's history under the microscope

Jun 14, 2007

The University of Wollongong will host the first biennial Wollongong History Conference on 21-22 June.

The theme for the conference is Memory, Heritage and Place: Wollongong’s Changing History. It will be held at the University’s Communications Centre (Building 20) from 9.30am-5pm over the Thursday and Friday. It is open to the public and admission is free.

Organised by Dr Glenn Mitchell from UOW’s School of History and Politics and Henry Lee from Wollongong College Australia, the conference will cover the city’s social and industrial history ranging from the post-war migrant hostels to the impact of the downturn in the steel and coal industries in the 1980s and major unemployment that followed, the “jobs for women” campaign, and issues surrounding the changing face and image of Wollongong in the 21st century.

Keynote speaker launching the conference will be Julianne Schultz, author of Steel City Blues, a chronicle of the impact of the downturn of the steel industry on the region in the 1980s.

Associate Professor Schultz has had a distinguished career as a journalist, editor, academic and media manager. She is now a professor in the Centre for Public Culture and Ideas at Griffith University in Brisbane, where she is the founding editor of the Griffith Review.

Other visiting speakers include UOW Honours graduate Liz Fox, who is a policy advisor to the city council of one of Britain’s fastest-growing community, Thurrock. Her paper will compare the growing pains of Thurrock and Wollongong.

Wollongong-based speakers include BluesScope Steel’s Director of Public Affairs Mike Archer, Wollongong City Council heritage officer Joel Thompson, town planner David Winterbottom, former Greens federal MP Michael Organ and a number of UOW researchers and local historians.

Dr Mitchell said with more than 25 speakers, the conference would provide an important historical perspective of some of Wollongong’s biggest community and economic issues, particularly over the past 30 years.

“We’ve been able to draw together a really broad cross-section of speakers, many of whom have been personally involved in some of the big events that have shaped our city,” Dr Mitchell said. “I am sure they will be able to give fascinating insights into the city.”

MEDIA INVITATION:

Media representatives are invited to cover the conference. Professor Schultz’s keynote address will be at 10am on Thursday, 21 June. There will be opportunities to interview Professor Schultz at the morning tea at 10.30am, immediately following her address.

* For more information contact Glenn Mitchell on 4221 3723 or Henry Lee on 4252 8854.

Issued by: UOW Media Unit – Nick Hartgerink. Call 4221 5490 or 0418 424085.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128