Branded an outlaw and a resistance leader, Musquito has long been one of the most contested figures in Australia’s frontier history. In Edition 36 of Traces, Naomi Parry Duncan explores the events that led to his capture near Parramatta in 1805, and reflects on her own unexpected connection to Musquito’s story.
By Maureen Martin Ferris When used carefully, artificial intelligence can serve as a valuable research companion for the family historian, offering powerful tools to support, assist and streamline
By Clint Buffington As a message-in-a-bottle hunter, I see Australia as a paradise of walkable coastline. I gaze longingly at it on maps from my
What comes to mind when you think of the 1960s? Is it fashion – miniskirts and skin-tight jeans, or ‘flower power’ and psychedelic patterns? Or perhaps pop music – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and local groups like The Bee Gees, The Seekers, John Farnham, or Normie Rowe?
Every family tree holds unexpected branches, but some grow into stories that become part of the nation’s identity.
For some fortune-seekers rushing off from Melbourne to the goldfields in the 1850s, a great adventure led to death by misadventure. At Whroo, in Central Victoria, the cemetery reveals traditions and practices that were typical in goldfields burials.
Melbourne City Baths has been at the heart of city life since 1844, evolving from simple riverside floating baths to a grand Edwardian complex. Beyond recreation and hygiene, it is also a landmark of heritage preservation.
Mount Townsend, in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, is Australia’s second‑highest mountain. It was named in honour of surveyor Thomas Scott Townsend, an obscure colonial surveyor who was forgotten by history, but whose claim to fame goes far beyond just one mountain’s slopes.
In a neglected slice of Queensland paradise lies the once forgotten grave of an invisible man.
Identifying the photographic process used to produce antique images can reveal when they were made, allowing you to add valuable detail to your family tree.
