Dictionary of Sydney
I’ve been sharing stories about Sydney’s past as a guest historian for the Dictionary of Sydney on 2SER Breakfast radio since 2014. Check out my latest segments.
Sydney’s wild weather
Wild weather just hit Sydney and images captured by awestruck residents have dominated the news. I spoke with Jamie on 2SER about Sydney’s stormy past.
Constance Kent: The ‘murderess’
In 1929, 85-year-old Sydney nurse and public servant Ruth Emilie Kaye confessed to murdering her three-year-old brother. Her real name was Constance Kent.
The Ultimo World War I Roll of Honour
For decades a World War I honour board lay in the attic of an Ultimo church. It features 36 names. These are their stories.
The Appin massacre – 200 years on
This Sunday 17 April 2016 marks 200 years since the Appin massacre, when at least 14 Aboriginal men, women and children were killed by soldiers under the command of Captain James Wallis, as part of a military reprisal raid ordered by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. I...
The Trocadero: Sydney’s most glamorous dance hall
There’s been a lot of talk about Sydney’s night life lately so I thought I’d look at one of the city’s most popular venues between 1936 and the late 1960s. The Trocadero on George Street was Sydney’s most glamorous dance hall and played host to a range of VIPs,...
200 years of public architecture
The State Library of NSW has just opened a new exhibition – Imagine a City: 200 Years of Public Architecture in NSW. In the Dictionary of Sydney, architects Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill detail how Sydney’s built environment developed from the arrival of the...
William Chidley: an eccentric campaigner
Speakers’ Corner in Sydney’s Domain has become known for its function as a place where individuals can share what’s on their mind. One famous eccentric campaigner, William Chidley, was a regular sight at the Domain from 1912, and became known for his thoughts on...
New tour! Sydney Harbour Islands
The Dictionary of Sydney has launched a new tour! Following on from Convict Parramatta, we can now explore Sydney’s harbour islands on our mobile devices, from the Royal Australian Navy base we know as Garden Island in the east, to the prison-turned-dockyard, Cockatoo...
Sydney’s cultural life
We’re coming into the festival season, where our city seems to come alive with a variety of cultural events and activities. Let’s go back to the 1800s and see how culture developed in Sydney, from unruly pastimes to popular sports and theatrical pursuits. Listen to...
Sydney’s ocean pools
It’s summertime and as the temperatures rise, Sydneysiders will no doubt be flocking to the city’s famous beaches. This morning for 2SER Breakfast, I thought I’d talk to Mitch about our love affair with sea bathing and how our ocean pools have played a crucial role in...
Nicole Cama
Historian
I’m a professional historian who specialises in social and public history, as well as cultural collections and heritage research and interpretation. I have worked on numerous projects for the City of Sydney, Dictionary of Sydney, IP Australia and more.