The Convict Valley by Mark Dunn
Parramatta Female Factory Friends Bi-monthly Speaker
Newcastle, at the mouth of the Hunter River, is largely a forgotten convict town, despite its foundation story being a convict story and its first twenty years being one of convict toil, punishment and endeavour. The talk will focus on the story of Newcastle in the years before 1830, including its foundation as a convict penal station, interactions with Aboriginal people and the exploitation of the area’s coal and timber resources. The talk will also touch on the establishment of the Newcastle Female Factory and the transportation of women from Parramatta.
Dr Mark Dunn is a professional historian with broad-based historical research over 25 years. He has a PhD in history from the University of New South Wales, focusing on the colonial interactions of Newcastle. He is the author of The Convict Valley: The Bloody Struggle for Australia’s Early Frontier (2020), which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Award for Australian History in 2021. Mark is a member of ICOMOS Australia and sits on the editorial board for the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
When: Friday, 11 April at 1 pm.
Where: Parramatta Female Factory, Friends Rooms, the ‘Greenway’ Matron’s Quarters, 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta.
Admission: $5 (plus booking surcharge). Places are limited, so please book early. The talk will be followed by afternoon tea and then the PFFF General Meeting at 2.15 pm.
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