Our History team has been amassing a rich collection of oral histories of Sydney since the 1980s – preserving the fascinating stories of Sydney’s finest inhabitants, who have lived, worked, entertained and constructed the fabric of our city.

Earlier this year, our historians recorded a captivating interview with prolific artist Martin Sharp, irreverent icon of psychedelic 60s and 70s Sydney. The conversation is an intimate, illuminating insight into the artist’s work and influences.

While you’re there, have a browse through the online collection of stories. Travel back to a time when Woolloomooloo was known for its pulsating street scene and professional fishing community, or find yourself in working class Erko in the 20s and 30s (imagine the joys of transporting ducks and fowls on trams!).

The site is a rich catalogue of remarkable, enlightening and often, touching one-on-one interviews. The personal stories canvass notable events, faiths, the idea of ‘home’, our urban economy, the arts and much, much more. It currently houses about 60 stories and more than 400 are still to come!

You can take this special journey into the past at sydneyoralhistories.com.au.

If history is up your alley and you’ve acquired an appetite for more, our dedicated History Unit also produces books, exhibitions and walking tours; fascinating to anyone who enjoys an occasional look back.