The Gerringong and District Historical Society, in partnership with the National Museum of Australia, is inviting locals to help bring a new exhibition to life this October at the GLaM complex in Gerringong.

Titled Defining Symbols of Australia, the exhibition aims to spark a national conversation through the lens of everyday objects and iconic imagery.

Running from 7 to 24 October 2025, the exhibition will showcase eight key symbols from the National Museum’s travelling collection, representing everything from kangaroos and flags to Uluru and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

But the heart of the show will be shaped by the local community.

“We’re asking people to look around their homes and think: what captures Australia for me?” said the Society’s curators. “It could be a tea towel, a milk jug cover, or something completely unexpected.”

Gerringong Historical Society President Geoff Webb added, “We’re looking for Aussie nostalgia in overdrive. Classic food labels like Weetbix and Aeroplane Jelly, Arnotts biscuit tins, and we would love to have a wall of kitschy tea towels.”

The goal is to blend official symbols with personal ones, those small but meaningful items that reflect the Australian experience in all its rich, quirky glory.

Contributions don’t need to be valuable, just evocative. “Australiana can be heartfelt, humorous or historic. We're open to it all,” the organisers said.

The exhibition will open on Thursday 9 October with “A Night at the Museum,” featuring guest speaker Anna Glynn.

A Dharawal-based multidisciplinary artist known for her playful and probing work on Australian identity, Glynn will add a powerful voice to the show’s central question: what defines us?

Flyers are available from Gerringong Library and the Gerringong Heritage Museum, open Friday and Saturday from 11 to 3.

Whether it’s a Vegemite spoon or a backyard invention, the Gerringong Historical Society wants to see the stories behind the stuff. Send your suggestions soon, quirky, classic or somewhere in between.

Contact Details

To submit an item, please send a photo, dimensions, and your contact details by 31 July 2025 to:

• Sue Blanchfield – 0428 253 345
• Caroline Lawrance – 0410 649 373

Items will not be needed until late September and will be displayed securely and respectfully. Flyers are available at Gerringong Library and the Heritage Museum.