ROME: Piranesi’s vision – a major exhibition of Italy’s master printmaker opens at State Library in February

ROME: Piranesi’s vision – a major exhibition of Italy’s master printmaker opens at State Library in February

January 21, 2014

Announcements, Exhibitions, News:

Rome: Piranesi’s vision, the largest Australian exhibition of work from one of Europe’s best known and respected printmakers, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, opens at the State Library of Victoria on 22… Read More ›

Gippsland watercolours

Gippsland watercolours

January 20, 2014

Arts & literature, Such was life:

Daniel Long’s sketchbook dates from 1856 and contains charming watercolours and pencil drawings depicting various locations in Gippsland.

New books: if you dare….

New books: if you dare….

January 17, 2014

Rare Books & Arts:

A mixed bag of new books hitting the shelves; just what I love! Circus and stage : the theatrical adventures of Rose Edouin and GBW Lewis by Mimi Colligan Mimi… Read More ›

Digitised Australian military records

Digitised Australian military records

January 16, 2014

Family matters:

A number of ongoing digitisation projects and website developments by Australian and New Zealand archive agencies means that family historians will now have greater access to the military records of their ancestors. Here are… Read More ›

Captain Cook’s cottage

Captain Cook’s cottage

January 15, 2014

Buildings & streets, Such was life:

Captain Cooks’ cottage, located in Fitzroy Gardens, was initially built by Captain Cook’s family in the town of Great Ayton in Yorkshire, England.

Shall we dance?

Shall we dance?

January 10, 2014

Music, Rare Books & Arts:

Guest blogger extraordinaire, Jane, is inspired by some of the treasures in our sheet-music collection…… I am currently helping out with the sheet-music spreadsheet-cataloguing project (try saying that quickly!) in… Read More ›

SA postal directories going online

January 9, 2014

Family matters, Uncategorized:

For those of you like me researching South Australian family history you will be pleased to know that the State Library of South Australia is gradually making most of  the… Read More ›

Continental Cafe, Greville St, Prahran

Continental Cafe, Greville St, Prahran

January 8, 2014

Buildings & streets, Such was life:

The area on the eastern side of Prahran Station has a long history as a performance venue. In 1920 the famous Leggett’s Ballroom was built and became a dancing institution for decades to come. On the same site, The Continental Cafe at 134 Greville Street became a lynch pin in the Melbourne live music scene from 1993-2001.

New books for a new year

New books for a new year

January 2, 2014

New books, Painting, Rare Books & Arts, Visual arts:

What better way to start the new year…..  Australia: curated by Anne Gray, Ron Radford, Kathleen Soriano et. al. This major show of Australian art at the Royal Academy in… Read More ›

Prince down a mine shaft!

Prince down a mine shaft!

January 2, 2014

People & professions, Such was life:

The most conservative of commentators would describe the 1867-8 Australian visit of the Duke of Edinburgh as ‘eventful’. Even before the Duke survived an assassination attempt, he raised eyebrows by voyaging… Read More ›

Such was life

Online Collection Spotlight: Trench journals and unit magazines of the First World War.

Online Collection Spotlight: Trench journals and unit magazines of the First World War.

April 20, 2026 0 comments

This Online Collection Spotlight examines WWI trench journals created by units from several combatant nation between 1914 and 1919. Produced in camps and battle zones, these handmade publications reveal humour, creativity, and resilience through poems, sketches, notes and stories.

Arts

Photographic portrait by Richard Beck of Ailsa O’Connor (1921-1980), political activist, painter, sculptor, author and teacher.

Ailsa O’Connor: highlights of a life of socialist activism, feminism and art

March 23, 2026 9 comments

Ailsa O’Connor (1921-1980) was a political activist, painter, sculptor, author and teacher. Throughout her art career she was a member of the Communist Party and associated with the Socialist Realist Group.