Is your Victorian history project award-worthy?

June 24, 2014

Local history funding sources, Such was life:

Nominations for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria’s 2014 Victorian Community History Awards are now open. The awards recognise ‘excellence in historical method’, and the types of works that can be… Read More ›

New soundtracks: Gravity, Cromwell, Superman, and more.

New soundtracks: Gravity, Cromwell, Superman, and more.

June 20, 2014

Film, Music, Rare Books & Arts:

New CD arrivals feature on the Listening Posts in Arts.  They include some great film soundtrack releases. The online catalogue indicates which Listening Post the CD is available on. There… Read More ›

It will look better embossed!

It will look better embossed!

June 19, 2014

Such was life:

Frank Firestone was responsible for many examples of iconic design and advertising imagery for predominantly Australian brands and products.

Music here, there and everywhere: on a stream near you!

Music here, there and everywhere: on a stream near you!

June 13, 2014

Music, Popular music, Rare Books & Arts:

It is simply amazing the type of library we can have in our own homes, and without taking up all that shelf space!   This opera gala from Cologne comes… Read More ›

Victoria’s lost places

Victoria’s lost places

June 10, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

Here’s a test of your local history knowledge: where is Emerald Hill? What about Sandhurst, Sandridge, Hotham or Phillipstown? If you’re not sure, don’t worry! Gazetteers and atlases are rich… Read More ›

Savill Index of The Advertiser Funeral Notices 1971 – 1990 and 1997 – 2013

June 2, 2014

Family matters:

The State Library of South Australia has recently published on their website the Savill Index of The Advertiser Funeral Notices covering 1971 -1990 and then from 1997 to 2013. From… Read More ›

Temperance and Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces

Temperance and Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces

May 31, 2014

Social life & customs, Such was life:

The temperance movement originated in the 19th century and urged for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol. Temperance societies were initially founded during the 1820s in the United States and… Read More ›

New books: pulps, punks and posters

New books: pulps, punks and posters

May 30, 2014

New books, Rare Books & Arts:

 The mining of popular culture continues apace…… Alternative movie posters : film art from the underground by Matthew Chojnacki No, not posters for “alternative” movies, but alternative posters for mainstream… Read More ›

New ebooks in Arts: Zines, would you believe

New ebooks in Arts: Zines, would you believe

May 25, 2014

Comic books, Music, New books, Popular music, Rare Books & Arts:

A lot of people involved in the zine community would say that digitising zines takes away something intrinsic – the kinesthetic and unique appreciation of the physical object – and… Read More ›

Victoria’s budget 1852

Victoria’s budget 1852

May 22, 2014

Politics, Such was life:

In 1852 Victoria was barely one year old, after separation from New South Wales in 1851. It was ‘the period of the greatest social and political disorganisation that the colony… Read More ›

Such was life

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 4 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.

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 4 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.