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.
These oral histories compliment the Peace Movement Illawarra exhibition which documents the local Peace Movement on the 80th year anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They express the experiences of individuals who have been involved in the Peace Movement.
Peace Movement Illawarra images will be exhibited from 16 June 2025 until 30 August 2025 at Wollongong Library and can be viewed online here.
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.
Doreen gave her life to the struggle for peace and socialism. Doreen passed away before being able to be interviewed for this project.
Read more about Doreen’s life and work here.
Nick Southall has been, and still is, heavily involved in the peace, anti-nuclear and anti-war movement in the Illawarra since high school.
Listen to Nick’s story here.
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Gem Romuld
Gem Romuld is the Australian Director for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and Quit Nukes.
Listen to Gem’s story here
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Sharon Callaghan
Sharon Callaghan highlights events, people, community feeling and motivations influencing the strong antiwar peace movement that has existed in Wollongong over the past few decades and her role within that community.
Listen to Sharon’s Story here.
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Alexander Brown
Alexander Brown has had a varied career focusing primarily on political activism and community activities and has been involved in struggles to protect Wollongong’s beautiful natural environment which he loves such as the Port Kembla copper smelter campaign and the Sandon Point campaign.
Listen to Alexander Brown’s story here.
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Margaret Perrott is a doctor who has been involved in the peace movement for 40 years.
Listen to Margaret’s story here.
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Mairi Petersen
Mairi has been a social and peace activist for her whole adult life in Sydney and then the Illawarra.
Listen to Mairi’s story here.
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