Reading the City: Historians on Melbourne

Across March we’ll be Reading the City; shining a light on the many ways we understand and talk about Melbourne itself. From the city as an abstract concept to the physical landscape in all its permutations, we’ll be hearing from visual artists and architects, policy makers and designers, novelists and historians. The City of Literature becomes the focus, and you’ll never read it the same way again.

Historians on Melbourne

Who better than historians to uncover the true identity of the city?

Chaired by SBS-TV’s Sam Pang, this will be a playful, surprising and utterly backward-looking dig into Melbourne’s past.

The panel will feature Robyn Annear, Peter McPhee, Jane Rhodes and LM Robinson.

Presenters

Sam Pang

Sam Pang is a presenter, writer, broadcaster and producer who began his media career with 3CR community radio, graduating to independent Melbourne radio station Triple R, where he presented a unique take on the weekly sporting news.

Robyn Annear

Best known for her books Bearbrass: Imagining Early Melbourne and A City Lost and Found: Whelan the Wrecker’s Melbourne, Robyn Annear is also the author of an unpublishable novel set in the city in 1893.

Peter McPhee

Peter McPhee is a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, specialising in the social history of France since 1780.

Jane Rhodes

Jane Rhodes works as the Assistant Exhibitions Coordinator for the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art.

LM Robinson

LM Robinson worked as a tutor, university lecturer, freelance writer and teacher.