Can you think of someone or something that deserves a historical blue plaque in their honour?
Nominations are open for blue plaques to celebrate the people, groups and events which have contributed to the rich heritage of NSW.
Anyone can make a submission for an unsung hero, group or landmark event to be recognised in this Heritage NSW program. More than a dozen recipients will be chosen from these submissions.
Nominating for a blue plaque is easy and can be done online. To be eligible, what you nominate must:
● relate to a person, people or event that has made a lasting impact on a community in NSW or NSW as a whole
● be appropriate, sensitive and engaging to a wide audience
● relate to a person or people who passed away more than 20 years ago, or an event which occurred more than 20 years ago
● have a location in NSW for the blue plaque that is publicly accessible and has a direct connection to the person, people, or event.
Heritage NSW and independent historians will evaluate nominations based on the eligibility criteria.
Also, for the first time, there is a People’s Choice Blue Plaque. Heritage NSW has shortlisted favourite nominations from past rounds and launched a public vote to decide the inaugural People’s Choice Blue Plaque.
The nominations people can vote for are:
● The creation of Weet-Bix – The Australian breakfast staple.
● Abdul Wade (Abdul Wahid Khan) – an Afghan immigrant who pioneered camel transportation in Australia’s outback.
● Coralia Stavropoulos (Sister Kaliniki) – Australia’s first ordained Greek Orthodox nun who dedicated her life to supporting Greek immigrants in Australia.
● Malcolm Cole – Dancer, teacher, and LGBTQIA+ activist who championed social change and Indigenous rights.
● Marie Beuzville Byles – The first practising female solicitor in NSW who paved the way for women in law.
● Mother John Baptist De Lacy – A pioneering Irish nun who laid the foundation for healthcare and health education in colonial Sydney.
● The Resch brothers – German migrants who brewed their way from outback NSW to creating beverage empires.
● Ruby Payne-Scott – A trailblazer in radio astronomy and advocate for women in science.
To date, almost 50 blue plaques have been announced in cities and towns across NSW.
To nominate or cast a vote go here.
Nominations close Sunday, June 30.
The information in this report was provided by the NSW Government.
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