About us
The History Council of New South Wales (HCNSW) was established in 1995. It is a not-for-profit membership association, and a registered charity. It is supported by Create NSW through an annual grant under the Arts & Cultural Development Program, and through partnerships with large cultural organisations.
The HCNSW is guided by the rules of its Constitution, a copy of which is available for download on this page. Its work is guided by a General Council that is elected from and by the membership.
Our Vision
The HCNSW believes that History shapes the present and the future. The HCNSW fosters the practice of history in all its forms.
We provide programs and services, which aim to build capacity within the history sector and showcase the importance of history.
We focus on five key areas:
- Members – Dialogue & Development
- Sector – Data & Research
- Forms of Practice
- Advocacy
- Alliances & Goodwill
Our objectives are to:
- provide a forum for identifying and responding to issues of relevance to the practice of history
- support history’s role in informing and shaping public debate, policy and future planning
- recognise the diversity of historical perspectives, including those of First Nations peoples, and encourage excellence in historical practice
- facilitate communication within the history community and provide opportunities for collaboration
- provide professional development activities and opportunities for our members and audiences across NSW.
Image Credit above: Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash
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Our Staff
The History Council of NSW is staffed part-time by Catherine Shirley, Amanda Wells, Laura Sayle, and Jadzia Stronell and is governed by the Executive Committee and General Council.
Catherine Shirley
Executive & Strategic Development Officer (0.6 FTE)
Catherine is an adult educator and historian who enjoys researching and creating and distributing stories of the past to illuminate the present, as well as managing cultural organisations to reach their potential.
Her career experiences include the ABC (TV Producer & Series Producer of Factual Programs and then Senior Executive), AFTRS (Hd Television), National Film & Sound Archive (Senior Executive) and various Adult Education management roles including the City of Sydney.
Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Philosophy (Modern History), Graduate Diploma in eLearning, Graduated Diploma in Human Resource Management and Master of Education in Adult Education.
Amanda Wells
Programs & Administration Officer (0.4 FTE)
Amanda is an environmental historian, and artist with a background in corporate administration, and travel coordination. Currently a PhD candidate with the University of Newcastle, Amanda is studying the environmental history of citrus growing in Australia. She currently lives and works on Ngadjuri Country.
Amanda’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) majoring in Anthropology (University of Adelaide), and a Graduate Diploma of Humanities majoring in History (University of New England). She is on the steering committee for the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Environmental History Network (AANZEHN), and is Secretary of the History Council of South Australia.
Laura Sayle
Media & Communications Officer (0.2 FTE)
Laura is currently studying her honours in history at the University of Wollongong. Laura is currently studying the history of criminal justice in Australia. In 2023, Laura completed a Bachelors of Arts with distinctions, majoring in History and Criminology while also completing a minor in Indigenous Studies (University of Wollongong).
While she started her career in retail and administration, she is an aspiring researcher and academic who brings her extensive passion for history to the role. Laura began working for the History Council after completing an internship with the Council at the end of 2022.
Jadzia Stronell
Project Officer - First Nations Histories (0.4 FTE)
Jadzia Stronell is a Gamillaraay woman originally from Biripi Country on the Mid North Coast, Port
Macquarie. She completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney (USYD) in 2024, majoring in
History and Theatre and Performance Studies, and is currently undertaking Honours in History at USYD.
With experience as a research assistant at the University of Sydney, and in project development and
coordination across the fields of history, theatre and education, Jadzia is an aspiring First Nations
historian dedicated to helping facilitate the recovery and recognition of marginalised histories. Passionate
about public history, she advocates for collaborative and capacity-building research with First Nations
communities, and endeavours to connect First Nations histories of strength, survival, and resilience with
wider audiences. Most recently, Jadzia developed a public history project with Kinchela Boys Home
Aboriginal Corporation towards the end of 2024.
The History Council of NSW is a charity registered with the Australian Charities & Not-for-Profits Commission. Click on the logo to read more about us.
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