Presented by the Royal Australian Historical Society.

Just north of Raymond Terrace, near the Williams River, lies Irrawang, a site important for its early colonial industry and for being one of the earliest historical archaeological projects in Australia. James King was a colonial entrepreneur with interests in a number of ventures. King experimented with glass manufacture before he took a grant in the Hunter Valley to develop a winery. He then set up a pottery on his land to manufacture utilitarian wares. The pottery was moderately successful until the gold rush resulted in his labour decamping and the enterprise closed down.

In the 1970s, Judy Birmingham and the students from the Archaeological Society at the University of Sydney began to excavate the Irrawang site. The work at Irrawang also provided a key stimulus to the development of historical archaeology in Australia. Recently, members from the Industrial Heritage Committee of the National Trust have revived interest in Irrawang, largely because it has not been listed on the State Heritage Register. Although many know of the site, little is known about what happened there.

This session, hosted by Dr Iain Stuart and with contributions from Felicity Barry, Stephanie Moore, Isabella Trope and James Cole, aims to present what is known about the site’s history and archaeology. Being a hybrid presentation, we hope to also have contributions from key individuals who worked on the site.

When: 6-7pm AEST (doors open at 5.30pm), Wednesday 21 May 2025

Where: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW and online via Zoom

Cost (in person): $20 (RAHS members), $25 (non-members)

Cost (online): $10 (RAHS members), $15 (non-members)

For more information and to register: https://www.rahs.org.au/rahs-events/

Accessibility for in person attendance: Disability access is via Phillip Lane. Please contact 02 9247 8001 to make prior arrangement.

Event image: Irrawang vineyard & pottery, east Australia. 1838. National Library of Australia