Sydney’s LGBT Museum Qtopia Appoints Garry Wotherspoon As Lead Historian
Image: Qtopia Sydney Facebook
Sydney-based writer and LGBTQ historian, Garry Wotherspoon, has been named Lead Historian for LGBTQI museum, Qtopia Sydney.
Wotherspoon is the author of Gay Sydney: A History, which tells the history of gay Sydney across the last 100 years. Gay Sydney: A History is an updated version of his 1991 book, City of the Plain: History of a Gay Sub-culture.
A Recipients Of The 2023 ACON Presidents’ Award
In August, Wotherspoon was one of the recipients of the 2023 ACON Presidents’ Award.
Each year the ACON President’s Award is given to a member of the community that has made a significant contribution to Queer communities in NSW.
This year’s award was dedicated to “advocates of justice for victims of anti-LGBTQ violence in NSW over the past several decades.”
In a post to social media, Qtopia Sydney wrote, “Congratulations to Qtopia Sydney Board Member and appointed Historian Garry Wotherspoon – one of the 2023 recipients of the prestigious ACON Presidents’ Award.
They continued, “Alongside a host of worthy recipients, we admire and applaud Garry for his years of advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community and we are grateful to have his expertise and lived experience guide the progress of our exhibitions, ensuring our stories are told and retold in an accurate and sensitive manner.”
Darlinghurst Police Station Handed Over In September
In September, The old Darlinghurst Police Station was officially handed over to LGBTQI museum Qtopia Sydney.
Qtopia Sydney is set to move into its permanent location at the Darlinghurst Police Station in February 2024.
Qtopia Sydney CEO Greg Fisher said, “In opening our doors, we will present an inaugural world-class exhibition of which the Queer community, our allies and indeed all Australians, can enjoy, learn from and embrace.”
The site of the old Darlinghurst Police Station on Forbes and Bourke Streets has an important place in the city’s queer history. The police station was once associated with the harassment and persecution of Sydney’s LGBTQI community, including 78ers.
In a statement at the time of the handover, CEO of Qtopia Sydney, Greg Fisher said, “The transfer of this property holds great significance.
‘A New Future Of Tolerance’
Fisher continued, “The Queer community will take confidence that the hard-fought wins from illegality to legality, from inequality to equality, from humiliation to respect, have been heard by political leaders across the spectrum. Our stories will soon be invested in this property – told and re-told – to ensure that education and awareness are the foundation of a new future of tolerance, acceptance, respect and love.”
On April 19, NSW’s new Labor government announced the former Darlinghurst police station as the permanent home for Qtopia.
Commemorating the event, Qtopia said, “In handing over stewardship of the building, the site is officially taking on its new name for the future – Qtopia Sydney.”
Before the handover, the NSW Government was using the old Darlinghurst police station as offices for NSW Health.
