Community
18 June, 2025
Guest speakers announced for festival
AS the Robert Burns Celtic Festival draws closer, the festival committee has announced the four guest speakers for a series of history talks at the Killara Centre.
The talks, hosted by the Camperdown and District Historical Society, will focus on how people have experienced, interpreted and responded to the Camperdown district through science, survival, art and belief.
Historical Society president Lyle Tune said residents don’t “need a kilt” to enjoy the history talks.
“Just a curiosity for the stories and people that have contributed to the cultural, environmental and historical fabric of this region,” he said.
The sessions will begin at 10.30am, with John Sherwood speaking about the geography of the area.
“Travel back millions of years to a time before Lakes Bullen Merri and Gnotuk existed, when volcanic activity reshaped the land,” Mr Tune said.
“Sherwood explores the geology of the region and evidence that Aboriginal people may have witnessed some of these ancient eruptions.”
Professor Richard Broome will speak from 11.30am, focusing on Indigenous boxing troupes which competed in the area.
“Discover the story of Aboriginal tent fighters who competed at agricultural shows from the early 1900s to the 1970s,” Mr Tune said.
“Mr Broome unpacks the complexities of these travelling boxing troupes and the questions they raise about agency, representation and resilience.”
From 1.30pm, Dr Ruth Pullin and Dr Thomas Darragh will speak.
“Explore the connection between colonial artist Eugene von Guérard and the Berlin Ethnological Museum through his correspondence and collections,” Mr Tune said.
“This session reveals how art, collecting and colonial relationships intersected in the lives of figures like von Guérard and James Dawson.”
The final session will be held at 2.45pm, hosted by Robert McLaren.
“In this talk, Mr McLaren traces the life of Reverend Kay from rural Scotland to Wickcliffe, revealing a life touched by naval heroism, links to the British Royal Family, scandals, the birth of Italy, a messy Victorian court case and a legacy that continues today with the bi-annual awarding of two university scholarships,” Mr Tune said.
“We invite locals, visitors and history buffs to join us for one talk or stay the whole day.
“It’s a unique opportunity to explore the stories and histories that have shaped this region over time.”
Tickets will be available at the door for $25 per person and are also included in the Robert Burns Celtic Festival weekend ticket.
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