My Profile

Heather Goodall, FASSA, FRSN, is a leading historian of Australian Indigenous, social and environmental history, creating award-winning written and digital histories. While Professor of History at UTS, (1989 to 2014), Heather researched in two Federal Royal Commissions (British Nuclear Testing, 1984-5, and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, 1990-1). She led consultancies with the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (oral history of fishing across four states) and with the Rona Tranby Foundation (co-authoring with Indigenous activists to tell life histories). Her awards include the NSW Premier’s prize for Australian History (1997) for From Invasion to Embassy; the Magarey Medal (2005) with Gamilaraay activist Isabel Flick for their co-authored life history, The Many Lives of an Extraordinary Aboriginal Woman, and the shortlisting of her co-authored book, Rivers and Resilience for the NSW Premier’s History prize (Community) (2010). Her research into Indian Ocean decolonisation and gender led to Beyond Borders (2018), Teacher for Justice (2019) and the digital archives and exhibitions of Indian war-correspondent PRS Mani’s writings (https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/handle/10453/28084) and Mumbai activist Kapila Khandvala’s papers (under construction). Heather continues to work closely with Tranby National Indigenous Education and Training, researching, publishing and developing an online digital exhibition: Around the Meeting Tree (in production). Her recent book, Georges River Blues: swamps, mangroves and resident action, 1945-80, analyses community interactions with river, vegetation and wildlife along Sydney’s Georges River.