Friday 3 September - Dr Wayne Johnson
Dr Wayne Johnson will give an inside view of Painting The Rocks: The Loss of Old Sydney-the book he co-authored to accompany the exhibition of the same name. The book examines the forces that changed Sydney's built environment throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and the events that led to the loss-and preservation-of significant parts of our colonial heritage.

Dr Johnson has been Sydney Harbour Foreshore's archaeologist since 1994, and has been curator of The Rocks Discovery Museum since it opened in 2005. Over the past 25 years he has worked on archaeological projects in Bahrain, Jordan, Zanzibar and Portugal. Since 2001, he has worked with the University of Sydney's Greater Angkor excavations in Cambodia. In 2008 he co-authored the book A History of Sydney's Darling Harbour with Roger Parris and in 2010 he co-authored Painting The Rocks: The Loss of Old Sydney with Paul Ashton, Anna Cossu and Caroline Butler Bowden.

Friday 10 September - Bob Whight
Bob Whight will lead a discussion of the discovery of the 1902 Pictures of Old Sydney exhibition catalogue, the ensuing research into the context of the exhibition and the growing fascination with "Old Sydney" and heritage conservation at the turn of the last century.

Bob is an assistant exhibitions officer with the Historic Houses Trust (HHT). She has worked in various roles for the HHT, including as guide and assistant curator, and on the research and development of a number of exhibitions and publications, including Bridging Sydney, Sydney's pubs: liquor, larrikins and the law and most recently Painting The Rocks: the loss of Old Sydney.

Friday 17 September - Jess Sinnott
Jess Sinnott will explore History Week's theme of 'Faces in the Street' with a talk on Aboriginal leaders who shaped our world.

Jess currently works as an Aboriginal guide with Sydney Learning Adventures, as an Aboriginal education officer with the Royal Botanic Gardens and as an Aboriginal discovery ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. An experienced guide, interpreter and heritage officer, Jess is skilled in delivering tours, programs and workshops that give everyone an opportunity to share in the knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture.

Friday 24 September - Paul Ashton
In 1902 an exhibition of paintings depicted parts of old Sydney that were marked for destruction. The paintings exhibited, however, portrayed a sleepy village rather that an inner-city urban environment under considerable stress. This talk will compare some of the artworks with contemporary photographs.

Paul Ashton is associate professor of public history at UTS; co-director of both the Australian Centre for Public History and the centre for Creative Practice and Cultural Economy; and director of UTS Shopfront, a unit that works with community groups. His publications include The Accidental City: Planning Sydney Since 1788, Sutherland Shire: A History, with Jennifer Cornwall and Annette, and People and their Pasts: Public History Today which he co-authored with Hilda Kean. Paul is also founding co-editor of the journal Public History Review and the co-author of Painting The Rocks: The loss of Old Sydney.