It's been a wild month here; just as my new book was released, my employer ACU suddenly announced a change plan that saw me and 40 other academics be 'disestablished.' I don't know what the future holds, but in the meantime I carry on with my writings. Here is a book review that I was … Continue reading Western Civilisation and its Discontents
Been speaking to some folks about my new book, Bennelong & Phillip (mostly audio, some written): A chat on Biographers in Conversation, released May 2025. Here is me with Phillip Adams on Late Night Live, aired 11 October 2023. Here also is me with Dallas Rogers on the CityRoadPod, aired 4 October 2023. A chat … Continue reading Discussions with others: Bennelong & Phillip
Pacific history is back in vogue for some reason; I was asked to chat to Phil Clark on ABC's Nightlife in their 'history segment'. Who was Tupaia and what was his relationship to James Cook? For more, click on through here:) [The image here one of Tupaia's own, sketched in April-May 1770 of Kamaygal fishermen … Continue reading Tupaia on the ABC
Just saw that Latrobe Youtube broadcasted this talk I gave them in 2021 (I found it because I had to do a search for Kate Fullager, wrong spelling, to find something else attributed to this name). It was about an article I'd just published in Australian Historical Studies. Good on Latrobe History to have their … Continue reading Remembering Cook, Again
I was only one of a few talking heads in this podcast, but it has become special to me because it was the last time I engaged with Keith Vincent Smith. His voice is included here - we recorded it just before the pandemic in early 2020. He died in 2022, a dogged and generous … Continue reading Bennelong Revealed Podcast
The painting has finally been bought back from its "foreign" buyer from 2001, by both the UK's National Portrait Gallery and the Getty in Los Angeles. It will now reside 50/50 in UK and USA. I'm still frustrated by the framing of the whole thing, which has been quite ludicrous since its sale to John … Continue reading On Reynolds’ Mai Portrait (again)
This short piece was written for the retirement surprise festschrift for Simon Schaffer, the funniest and most warm-hearted historian-of-science I know. It's on Phillip and a long-lost print of Sydney Cove found in a Bath attic.... The whole 400-page festschrift is open access here. My four-page tribute is here: schafferDownload
Well out of my comfort zone, I talked here with the wonderful crew at Hot&Bothered for their latest podcast on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I was invited to talk about Mr Darcy's dismissive line in chapter 5 that "any savage can dance." Back in 2012 I wrote a whole book on the British usage … Continue reading Mr Darcy and Savagery
Just found this podcast recording of our session at the 2021 Sydney Writers Festival. Loved being a part of this with Keira Lindsay, James Dunk and several other stellar historians. Easy listening... check the audio bites on this link.
Another piece on Bennelong, but here also on Arthur Phillip, comparing their burial sites and posthumous lives. Preliminary work for my next book. Part of my quarterly gig with Inside Story. Click here for the 1500-word essay.
Kate Fullagar 