She Shapes History at the National Library

The answer might surprise you. The National Library of Australia holds one of the richest collections of women's history in this country: diaries, court records, photographs, oral histories, union files, objects, and more. Many Australians have no idea what's there. And much of what's in it has never been seen by the general public.

Over four years and twelve talks, She Shapes History founder and CEO Sita Sargeant is partnering with the Library to change that. Along with the events, we'll add digital content to this information hub, including research guides and reading lists. By the end of the series you won't just know more about Australian history, you'll know how to find it yourself.

Join us for the entire journey, or come along to any one (or more!) of the events to hear from incredible speakers shaping history in their fields.

She Shapes History at the National Library

Sita Sargeant:

When we learn about Australia's past, it's easy to come away wondering: where are the women in the story of Australia? The truth is, women have always been here – leading movements, building communities, driving innovation, creating change, and shaping the nation we know today. Yet many of their stories have been overlooked, forgotten, or left out of the histories we were taught.

I'm Sita Sargeant, the founder of She Shapes History and I'm thrilled to be partnering with the National Library of Australia.

The National Library holds one of the richest collections of women's history in the country, including diaries, photographs, oral histories, union files, objects, and so so much more. Together, She Shapes History and the Library are working to make these stories more accessible, engaging, and visible to everyone.

Through this partnership, we will host 12 events over 4 years. Each event will explore a different topic, and have supporting research guides, reading lists and other digital resources. These will all be available on the National Library’s website for free. These resources will help you go deeper, discover the remarkable women from Australia's past, and build the skills to continue exploring this history for yourself.

Thank you for joining us. I hope you are inspired to uncover new stories, ask new questions, and see Australia's history in a whole new way.

About Sita Sargeant

Sita Sargeant is a social entrepreneur, author, and one of Australia's leading voices in women's history. In 2021, she founded She Shapes History, a company making women's history accessible and engaging through walking tours, digital content, and partnerships with historic sites and cultural institutions. She Shapes History currently operates in four cities: Canberra, Sydney, Wollongong and Melbourne with plans to be in eight by the end of 2027. She published a book by the same name in 2025 sharing the stories of over 250 women who helped shape 31 towns and cities across Australia. In 2026, she was named the ACT Young Australian of the Year.

What's on

A woman with dark hair wearing a pink t-shirt with black text reading She Shapes History

She Shapes History at the National Library - December 2026

Someone had to cook dinner. And mend the clothes, stretch the housekeeping money, write down the recipe, feed whoever turned up, and keep the family going. That work built Australia, but so much of it never made it into the history books.

Event

Digital Modules

A promotional graphic featuring a collage of three diverse women, each in a different portrait style, alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia.' The women are presented in black and white or muted tones, suggesting a focus on historical or influential figures. The overall design is modern and impactful, with the text prominently displayed on a pale pink background.

Why didn't anyone tell me Australian history was actually interesting?

In this opening talk, Sita Sargeant was joined by Santilla Chingaipe, Jacinta Mackay, and Harini Rangarajan: three women who between them show what becomes possible when you go looking for the version of Australia that never made it into the textbooks.

A promotional graphic featuring three black-and-white portraits of women alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia' on a pink background.

Well-behaved women rarely make history.

In this talk, Sita Sargeant is joined by Zoe Smith, and Associate Professor Leigh Straw. Their conversation uncovers stories from Australian history of the women the law went looking for, the women the papers turned into cautionary tales, and the women whose absence from the record is itself the story.

Upcoming events

From the 1967 Referendum to the stolen wages campaigns, Australia's civil rights movement was organised, sustained, and often led by women, whose names rarely made it into the history books.

The White Australia Policy didn’t just control who could enter the country. It shaped what got recorded, what got preserved, and whose story was considered worth telling.

The archive coded them as companions. We know better. Queer and trans women’s lives were hidden, suppressed and deliberately obscured. Their relationships were described in careful language. Their communities survived in fragments, hints and silences.