Hey History!

6. What can objects tell us about the past? Live at Adelaide Writers Festival

2025-04-10

In this special live recording of Hey History! host Axel Clark asks historians Clare Wright, Anna Clark and Kiera Lindsey what historical objects can tell us about the past?

What can a piece of ochre tell us about Australia’s Deep Time History?

And what about a pair of South Australian pink shorts?

We ask kids what objects are special to them, and play guessing games with objects - including one that's in the Guinness Book of World Records!

This episode of Hey History! was recorded on Kaurna Country for the 2025 Schools Day of Adelaide Writers Week.

Many thanks to

Adelaide Festival, especially Suzanne Critchley, and Tahlia GrecoThe History Trust of South Australia for the use of an image of Don Dunstan's shortsNational Museum of Australia for kindly granting permission and usage of images from their collection including: The water bottle of Robert O'Hara Bourke, a gold panning dish, and Chris the sheep
Voices Anna Clark is a Professor of History at the University of Technology, Sydney.Clare Wright is a Professor of History and Public Engagement at La Trobe University. Kiera Lindsey is South Australia's History Advocate and an award-winning historian.
Episode image

Photo of Hey History on stage live in front of primary school students in the Women's Pioneer Memorial Garden in Adelaide, South Australia.

CreditsHosted by Axel Clark. Produced on Gadigal Country by Anna Clark, Clare Wright and Jane Curtis.Executive producers are Clare Wright and Anna Clark.Podcast concept, design and development by Anna Clark. Sound engineering by John Jacobs.Thanks to all the students whose voices you hear in this episode and their schools and teachers.

Hey History! is produced by the Australian Centre for Public History at UTS and UTS Impact Studios.

Impact Studios' executive producer is Sarah Gilbert.

No. of episodes

17

Latest episode

2026-04-29

Where can you listen?

For kids age 8-12, a series on Australian history with stories and music. For teachers, a professional learning series called Hey History Teacher!

Season 1 follows Stage 2 and 3 of the Australian curriculum, and of NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland. Students can listen in class and use our Learning Materials designed and road-tested by a primary school educator.

Go back in time to the Gold Rush. What happened at the meetings between Captain Cook and First Nations people at Kamay Botany Bay? Experience life as a convict kid, and hear how First Nations people learn on Country.

Season 2 is for teachers, teacher-educators and pre-service teachers. hear conversations and advice about over 8 episodes, including teaching difficult histories, creative history teaching, approaching First Nations histories with care and confidence, complexity in history teaching, advice for new history teachers, great history teaching, and teaching the Australian Wars.

These eight PD episodes are grounded in current research and features fifteen classroom educators and academics from around Australia.

Hey History! is made by history professors, so you'll hear from Australia's top historians and experts. It's produced by The Australian Centre for Public History and Impact Studios at the University of Technology Sydney, in partnership with La Trobe University.

Hey History Teacher! series is made with the support of the History Teachers Association of New South Wales.