Geraldine Fela - Blood Politics: Nurses and Australia’s AIDS crisis

History Week 2026 Event

In the 1980s and 1990s, HIV and AIDS devastated communities across Australia. In the midst of this profound health crisis, nurses provided crucial care to those living with and dying from the virus. They negotiated homophobia and complex family dynamics and defended the rights of their patients. Bringing together stories from across the country, Critical Care: Nurses on the frontline of Australia's AIDS crisis unearths the important and unexamined history of nurses and nursing unions as caregivers and political agents who helped shape Australia’s response to HIV and AIDS.

Dr Geraldine Fela is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Humanities at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Her research and teaching traverses histories of gender and sexuality, labour, social movements and medicine. Her first book, Critical Care: Nurses on the frontline of Australia’s AIDS crisis was published by UNSW Press in July 2024. In 2025, Critical Care was awarded the Prime Minister's Literary Award in the category of Australian history, and was shortlisted in the NSW History Awards.

Pub talks – $15 (includes one drink),

History Week 2026 - Keeping Stories

Australians are renowned for spinning a good yarn but how do stories keep history alive and what do they tell us about ourselves?

We are living in a rapidly changing world, of global conflict and heightened security concerns, at the same time we are facing a crisis in university education and the domestic pressure to develop our cities and towns to create more housing. How do we keep the stories that matter to our communities? History Council members are invited to engage with this theme during this year’s History Week from 5 – 13 September, to explore the theme of Keeping Stories – from truth telling to tall tales and beyond. For what is history if not the story of us?

Book through Humanitix or pay at the door. Eftpos and cash are accepted.

Enjoy interesting conversation along with good food and drink at Gardner's Inn, Blackheath, the oldest continuously licensed hotel still trading in the Blue Mountains. After the talk stay for a meal at one of the best Pub Food locations in the area; their Beef & Guinness Pot Pie is a signature treat.