There is a long history of the Peace Movement in the Illawarra. Individuals and groups have protested against involvement in war and weapons. From protests against conscription in the Vietnam War to nuclear disarmament marches and Hiroshima Day commemorations local people have taken to the streets to make their views known.
This exhibition documents the local Peace Movement on the 80th year anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Dr Alexander Brown gave a talk about the local Peace Movement on Monday 28th July at Wollongong Library. Over 1,000 paper cranes have been folded by community members in our libraries and will be sent to Hiroshima Peace Memorial for display.
Interviews with members of the Peace Movement can be accessed here.
You can see the Peace Movement Illawarra exhibition on display
from 16 June 2025 until 30 August 2025 at Wollongong Library.
To view images and their captions, go to the slideshow below
or click on individual images within the gallery.
P27787 Hiroshima Day. 1986 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P13744 Car featured in nuclear disarmament protest. 1973 Garber Collection
P13982 Dapto Peace Celebrations
P51709 No War Bring Troops home Rally. March 29, 2003 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P27781 The World Bike Ride for peace, disarmament and a nuclear free future. 1982 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P27784 Peace protesters at Wollongong Railway station. 1984
P29816 Anti-Vietnam & conscription demonstration in Rest Park Wollongong. 1969 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29818 Anti-Vietnam & conscription demonstration in Wollongong. Mervyn (Merv) Nixon, former South Coast Labour Council secretary 1969 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29829 May Day procession. 1968 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51703 No War Rally – Walk against War Wollongong. November 3 2001 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29830 Anti Vietnam War and conscription demonstration in Wollongong. May 9, 1969. Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29831 Anti Vietnam War and conscription demonstration in Wollongong. May 9, 1969. Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29832 Anti Vietnam War and conscription demonstration in Wollongong. May 9, 1969. Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51806 Hiroshima Day, Wollongong. 1979 – State Library of New South Wales and the SEARCH Foundation
P29837 Anti Vietnam War and conscription demonstration in Wollongong. May 9, 1969. Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51740 Tom Ward marching in Hiroshima Day Rally. August 9 2006 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29843 Vietnam Moratorium march Wollongong. Walking up Station Street. May 9 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29848 Vietnam Moratorium march Wollongong. ‘Social action group moritorium’, Crown St. May 9 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29854 Vietnam Moratorium march, Wollongong. September 19, 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29870 Vietnam Moratorium march, Wollongong. September 19, 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51731 Solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon rally. July 29, 2006 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29870 Vietnam Moratorium march, Wollongong. September 19, 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51800 Maurie Mulheren performing at No War rally. 2004 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29872 Vietnam Moratorium march, Wollongong. September 19, 1970 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29883 Demonstrators walking along Crown Street. ‘Tricky Dick and his Babe in “arms”. 1971 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
Hiroshima Day march 1982 in Wollongong 11 -University of Wollongong Archives, collection D144/02/112
P29885 Demonstration May Day anti-war march-in. 1971 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29896 Anti Vietnam War Demonstration outside Labour & National Service Department. 1971 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51711 No War Bring Troops home Rally. March 29, 2003 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29916 Vietnam War demonstration, Wollongong. May 13, 1972 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P29924 May Day anti-Vietnam War Unionist protest. May 8, 1972 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51706 Sharon Callaghan at Walk against War Rally Wollongong. November 3 2001 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29932 May Day anti-Vietnam War Unionist protest. May 8, 1972 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
Hiroshima Day march 1982 in Wollongong 40 -University of Wollongong Archives, collection D144/02/25
P29935 May Day anti-Vietnam War Unionist protest. May 8, 1972 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51735 Jenny George speaking at Solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon rally. July 29, 2006 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P29947 Unionists protesting at Vietnamese blockade -Seaman’s Union. Mervyn (Merv) Nixon, former South Coast Labour Council secretary. May 11, 1972 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P35277 Anti-Vietnam and conscription demonstration. Mothers, relatives, and friends of those conscripted in national service protesting at Wollongong Station. April 21, 1966 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51741 Hiroshima Day Rally. August 9 2006 Photographer Sharon Callaghan
P35278 Anti-Vietnam and conscription demonstration. Conscriptees at Wollongong Station. April 21, 1966 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
Hiroshima Day march 1978 in Wollongong -University of Wollongong Archives, collection D182/05/03/10
P35279 Anti-Vietnam and conscription demonstration. Mothers, relatives, and friends of those conscripted in national service protesting at Wollongong Station. April 21, 1966 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P38461 Vietnam political prisoners protest, Wollongong. 1973 Illawarra Mercury Image Collection
P51719 No War Rally, No War on Iraq. Feburary 8, 2003
May Day march 1930s, No.4 – University of Wollongong Archives, collection D22/12/13/04
P51749 No War rally. 2004 Photographer Indrek Torilo
May Day march 1937-1938, no.10 – University of Wollongong Archives, collection D22/12/02/10
P51804 No War Rally. L to R: Maree Faulkner, Monica Chalmers, Marie Petersen, Background: Peter Moran and Sue. August 5, 2008
P51808 Bisalloy picket Unanderra 2024 Nick Southall