In Conversation with Sita Sargeant - She Shapes History

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Sita Sargeant, founder of She Shapes History and author of She Shapes History: Guided Walks and Stories About Great Australian Women. Sita will be joined by journalist and cartoonist Eleri Harris as they explore the untold stories of remarkable women who helped shape our cities, towns, and country. Discover how walking tours, storytelling, and a feminist lens can bring forgotten histories back into view.

A thought-provoking and engaging event for anyone interested in history, identity, and the power of reclaiming voices from the past.

She Shapes History

She Shapes History is a collection of walking tours and stories that celebrate remarkable Australian women whose achievements have often been left out of the history books. Author Sita Sargeant uncovers inspiring, funny and powerful tales from 30 towns and cities across the country from Coober Pedy to Hobart, Rockhampton to Perth, reframing familiar histories and revealing new ones.

Featuring 18 city walks with easy-to-follow maps, the book highlights women who challenged expectations, changed their communities, and left lasting legacies. With a scrapbook-style design and vivid vignettes, She Shapes History is an engaging tribute to the women who helped shape the nation.

About Sita

Sita Sargeant is a tour guide, feminist, and history enthusiast passionate about promoting gender equality through tourism. Frustrated by the lack of recognition for women and queer people in history, she founded She Shapes History, a company offering engaging walking tours in Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne.

About Eleri

Eleri Harris (she/her) is an award-winning cartoonist, journalist and editor based in Canberra on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. Her non-fiction comics on history, science and reportage have been published and exhibited internationally. After returning to Australia during the pandemic, Eleri became a feminist history tour guide with She Shapes History, inspiring her first children’s book, A Loo of One’s Own. She works from Gorman House Arts Centre and enjoys drawing, bushwalking and make-believe with her kids.