February 4, 2026
The Society was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Fellow, Emeritus Professor Heather Goodall AM FRSN FASSA.
Professor Goodall (1950–2026) was a pioneering Australian historian whose work transformed understandings of Indigenous political history, environmental change, and cross‑cultural relationships. She passed away peacefully on 29 January 2026 at the age of 75.
Heather Goodall’s academic journey began with the University Medal in History from the University of Sydney in 1975, followed by a groundbreaking PhD in 1982 on Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. This research shaped her lifelong commitment to collaborative, community‑centred historical practice.
Over her long career at the University of Technology Sydney, Goodall became a leading figure in Australian historiography. Her research was widely recognised through multiple ARC Discovery and Linkage grants and influential publications. On her retirement from UTS in 2016, she was honoured with the title of Emeritus Professor.
Her major publications—Invasion to Embassy, Isabel Flick, Rivers and Resilience, Beyond Borders, and Georges River Blues—combined rigorous scholarship with deep partnerships, often amplifying voices historically marginalised in mainstream narratives. Her work extended beyond Australia, tracing intercolonial and transnational networks that reshaped understandings of activism and identity.
Professor Goodall received numerous honours, including the NSW Premier’s Australian History Prize and the Magarey Medal for biography. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW in 2014. In 2024, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to tertiary education and to the Indigenous community. She leaves a profound legacy as a scholar, mentor, collaborator, and advocate whose influence will endure across generations and will be greatly missed by colleagues, students, friends and all who were inspired by her scholarship, activism and kindness.
The Society extends its sincere condolences to Heather Goodall’s family, friends, and colleagues at this sad time.
