Ballarat Heritage Festival

Step into the hidden history of Victoria’s queer past at the official launch of Queer Goldfields (queergoldfields.au), a ground breaking project uncovering the lives of LGBTIQA+ figures from the 19th century. As part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, this lively variety night will feature
performances, music, and storytelling inspired by historical figures who lived boldly and defiantly.

Our night started off with a Welcome to Country by Shannen Mennen (top left) and speeches by Cr Jay Morrison for the City of Ballarat (top centre) and Dr Zeb Leonard (top right). Our MC for the night was Luke Tonkin (centre right), as had performances by Gabriella Labucci (bottom right), a spoken word piece by Federation University student and participant in the project Meghan Aponte (bottom centre), songs by Dr Robert Reid (bottom left) and Joy Kohl (centre left) and we finished the night with letters by Captain Moonlite from his death row cell to his lover's mother, read by Barry Kay (centre image).

 Weaving together over 300 historical newspaper articles, Queer Goldfields celebrates the resilience, passion, and rich legacy of Ballarat’s queer history. Join us for a night of entertainment, insight, and celebration of our shared past.

Queer Goldfields is presented by the City of Ballarat and Federation University, and the launch is proudly part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival.