Parramatta Council: Foundation Festival 2021

Uncover Parramatta’s rich history and heritage. This year, to mark Foundation Festival, you’re invited to take a stroll into the past with guided tours and online documentaries.

Guided Tours

Enjoy a guided walk through some of Parramatta’s most interesting sites, from Cemeteries to the Lancers’ Barracks, the River Walk to Old Parramatta Gaol and more.

The Crime, Justice and Punishment Tour will tell stories of murders and hangings, robbery and the stocks, as you explore crime and punishment in Parramatta from 1788 to the present. There will also be a photography workshop, kids colonial and aboriginal games, a scientific heritage walk, tours of the old Dairy Cottage or you can learn about medicine of the past on the Brislington Medical and Nursing Museum tour.

View all the guided tours on the Foundation Festival website.

Two new online documentaries 

Don’t miss the online premiere of 2 new mini-documentaries which explore the City’s heritage, past and present.

Music From Songbirds and Songlines to Street Sounds will take you through the history of music in Parramatta, from the arrival of Australia's first piano, to the convict women’s protests, Irish folk, church choirs and military bands. Check out the website to find out about Australia's very first musician. 

Watch 200 Years: The Lancers, Brislington, the Female Factory, where Dan Ili encounters riots and songs by convict women, World War Two tanks, Bren guns, unnerving surgical instruments, and amazing stories from the past told by people who are passionately dedicated to keeping history alive and relevant in Parramatta.

 

Where:   Various locations in Parramatta and online
When:    6 - 7 November 2021
Cost:      $10 per tour per person

To view more about the festival or to book a tour, please visit the Foundation Festival website.  

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