Michael Organ - Home Page

Welcome to my Web site. I am the Archivist at the University of Wollongong, Australia, and the University Archives web site describes the various collections we hold, plus the manner in which this material may be accessed.

The present Home Page provides links to some of my academic and research interests, specifically in the fields of Australian history, film studies (Metropolis 1927), and Austrian history. The latter focuses on the round-the-world scientific expedition of the frigate Novara between 1857-9, and its visit to New South Wales in 1858. An ongoing area of interest is in the history of the Illawarra district of New South Wales, Australia, especially during the initial period of white settlement (1770-1850), and later (1815+) when a military stockade was in operation and my great-great-grandfather was a soldier on duty there. The results of previous research work are contained in the attached copy of Publications and Reports. Images of my family are also included below. Material accessible from this site includes:

• Trooper Frank Andrews (1880-1900) - An Australian Boer War Casualty. A brief article on Frank Andrews, an Illawarra resident who volunteered for service against the Boers of South Africa in 1899, and was subsequently killed in action the following year. Private Andrews, a member of "A" Company, New South Wales Imperial Bushmen, was the first Illawarra resident to die in that war.
• The Battle of Bulli, 1887. An account of the conflict between striking coal miners and their families, and group of blacklegs and police which took place at Bulli, New South Wales, Australia, during January 1887. The 'Battle' was noteworthy for the role played by local women.
• Hotels of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven 1828-1999. Preliminary listing of local hotels and breweries of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven districts of New South Wales. Compiled by the late A.P.Fleming, Michael Organ, and Mick R. Roberts.
• John Skinner Prout at Broulee and Illawarra, 1841-44. Brief article plus catalogue of the works of the artist John Skinner Prout, in connection with his visits to Broulee and the Illawarra district of New South Wales during the years 1841 and 1843-4. NB: A number of images of individual works have not been loaded, pending copyright clearances from relevant institutions.
• The Mystery of Alexander Harris: Incognito in Australia 1826 - 1840. Two-part article which attempts to solve the mystery surrounding the English author Alexander Harris, who resided in Australia between approximately 1826 and 1840 and went on to write a number of important semi-fictional and autobiographical works describing life in the Colony at that time. Most famous of these is his Settlers and Convicts (London, 1847). Harris worked for a number of years in the Illawarra district of New South Wales, and it is this episode which may provide the necessary clues to revealing his local identity.
• E.D. Nicolle - Australian Pioneer of Ice-making and Refrigeration. Article outlining the life and times of French-born engineer, Eugene Dominique Nicolle, who arrived in Australia in 1853. Nicolle is famous for his collaboration with T.S. Mort during the 1860s and 1870s in developing ice-making and refrigeration techniques for both domestic and export use. Compiled by Michael Organ and Fred Turnidge.
• The Pioneer Kerosene Oil Shale Works at American Creek, Mount Kembla, New South Wales, 1865 - 1878. This was Australia's first successful kerosene oil shale operation.
• The Story of the Illawarra Stockade - Stationed Military Regiments & Convict Discipline 1816-44. An account of military stockades and regiments which operated in the Illawarra district of New South Wales, Australia, between 1816-44.
• Carl Weber - Pioneering Surveyor and Engineer. Article by Anne Wood on Carl Weber, plus listings of associated material from the Weber Collection (D174) in the University Archives and the holdings of the Wollongong City Reference Library.
• Wollongong District Hospital & Albert Memorial Hospital - Old Photographs 1964-1984. Extracted from annual reports and historical publications.
• The 'Count' and Illawarra - Paul Edmund de Strzelecki's Supposed Excursion to Wollongong, December 1839. The Polish explorer and scientist P.E. de Strzelecki travelled overland from Sydney to Melbourne during 1839-40. His supposed visit to the Illawarra district is shrouded in some controversy.
• The Reverend W.B. Clarke - Bibliography. W.B. Clarke is often cited as "The father of Australian Geology", having carried out researches in Australia between 1839-78.
• 'The Garden of New South Wales' - Landscape Art of the Illawarra, NSW. 1770-1980. A catalogue of works of art pertaining to the Illawarra region of New South wales, Australia.
• The Life and Times of Captain Robert Marsh Westmacott. Captain Westmacott, son of the famous British sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott, served as Aid de Camp to Governor Sir Richard Bourke during his time in Australia in the 1830s, and later settled in the Illawarra district.
• Peck's Australian Legends. Information pertaining to CW Peck's publication of various Aboriginal dreaming stories from south-eastern Australia during the period 1922-33.
• Australian Aboriginal Dreaming Stories - Bibliography. A chronological listing 1789-1993 of publications containing Australian Aboriginal dreaming stories.
• Conrad Martens - In Search of the Picturesque. A select set of images of works by the artist Conrad Martens, to accompany a lecture on his connection with the Picturesque.

• Metropolis (1926) - Bibliography and Checklist of Resources. A comprehensive listing of material relating to Fritz Lang's classic 1926 silent film Metropolis, including copies of contemporary reviews and an outline of the various extant versions of the film. The site includes the following sections:
1. Introduction
2. Bibliography
3. Internet Web site links
4. Images
5. Music
6. Video
7. Reviews - 1927
8. Australian Release - 1928
9. Posters
10. Chronology 1924-8
• Fritz Lang's Nibelungen 1924. Copies of postcards portraying images and artworks from Fritz Lang's 1924 two-part film dealing with the Nibelungen saga.

• SMS Novara - Home Page. Introductory page to the Novara web site. Contains links to all related pages, as listed below.
• SMS Novara -"the most magnificent vessel". An account of the history of the Austrian frigate Novara and its role as a flagship of the Habsburg fleet during the mid' nineteenth century.
• Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara. An extract from Karl Scherzer's published account of the voyage, specifically pertaining to Australia, and the Sydney visit.
• The Journal of Karl Scherzer. An English translation by Mrs. Dymphna Clark of the Australian section of the original manuscript journal of Dr. Karl Scherzer, at present housed in the Mitchell Library Collection, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
• 'On Unlocking a Time-warp': The Novara in Sydney November-December 1858'. Copy of a 1985 article by the late John Fletcher, dealing with the various manuscript and published materials detailing aspects of the Novara's visit to Sydney during 1858.
• Georg Ritter von Frauenfeld's 'Notes, collected during my stay in New Holland .... upon the voyage of His Majesty's frigate Novara [1858]'. A translation from the German of Frauenfeld's zoological notes taken during a visit to New South Wales in November 1858. Frauenfeld was official zoologist and collector of natural history specimens for the Austrian Novara round-the-world scientific expedition of 1857-9. During his time in Australia he travelled to Illawarra, Newcastle, and about Sydney, collecting specimens and information on the local flora and fauna.
• Joseph Selleny - An Austrian Artist in Australia 1858. Article and catalogue of works describing the visit to Australia by Austrian artist Joseph Selleny during November-December 1858 in connection with the Novara expedition.
• The Battle of Lissa 1866. This sea battle was the first such engagement on the open seas between modern ironclad fleets. It involved the Austrian and Italian navies, and took place off the Adriatic island of Lissa on 20 July 1866. The Lissa site includes:
1. Bibliography - this brings together German, Italian, French and English-language material on the battle and on the various individuals involved, including the victorious Admiral Tegetthoff (Austrian) and the unfortunate Admiral Persano (Italian).
2. Images - a listing of images of the sea battle of Lissa, along with related ships, individuals and localities.
• Ferdinand Maximillian von Habsburg and Carlotta of Mexico - A Bibliography. Maximillian was involved in the building up of the Austrian navy during the 1850s and 1860s; in the round-the-world scientific expedition of the frigate Novara between 1857-59; and in an ill-fated attempt to install a European monarchy on the throne in Mexico. The latter resulted in his execution by firing squad during 1867.

• Magnificent Voyages - University of Wollongong Library Exhibition 1996. A brief listing of items contained in the 1996 'Magnificent Voyages' exhibition, featuring the USEx.Ex. and the voyage of the Austrian frigate Novara.
• The London Edition of Charles Wilkes Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, 1845. A brief discussion of bibliographic issues surrounding the publication of the London edition of the multi-volumed account of the United States Exploring Expedition 1838-42.

• Regent Theatre, Wollongong. Friends of the Regent Theatre (FORT) site. Information pertaining to the campaign to save the Regent Theatre from demolition.
• IRATE. Information page for IRATE - Illawarra Residents Against Toxic Environments Inc.
• Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Pictures plus press releases relating to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy set up at Sandon Point, New South Wales, during November 2000.
• Sandon Point Picket. Details plus images of the Sandon Point picket, Bulli, New South Wales, Australia.
• Back to Bulli - A New Council for Northern Illawarra. Information page for the push to form a new Council in the northern part of Illawarra, with boundaries based on the original Bulli Shire Council of 1906-1947, extending from Bellambi Lane in the south to Helensburgh in the north.
• Illawarra Regional Foreshores Park. Robert and Janice Miller's draft document of 1 November 2001 for an Illawarra Regional Foreshores Parkland, extending from Thirroul to Kiama. The preliminary proposal focuses of the Sandon Point - Kuradji site in northern Illawarra.
• Illawarra Historical Society. Vivianne Caldwell's site.

• Finding Nick Drake. Brief article on the English musician Nick Drake (1948-74). Includes additional pages dealing with his death, a chronology of his life, and information on the Interplay One lp of 1972.
• Bert Sommer. Introduction to Bert Sommer - American singer, songwriter, guitarist, performer at Woodstock 1969 and original cast member of Hair. Born c.1948 - died 1990.

Any comments, corrections, or additions to the content of this site are most welcome. Please e-mail the author at: Michael Organ [Michael_Organ@uow.edu.au]. Address any correspondence to the Library, University of Wollongong 2522, Australia. Site last updated: 10 July 2002.