Gerry Walsh
Gerald (Gerry) Walsh, MA (Syd & ANU) was one of the three original members of the Department of History, in the Faculty of Military Studies, UNSW, at the RMC Duntroon, where he taught modern European, Asian and Australian history from 1966 to 1985. From 1986 in the School of History UNSW@ADFA he taught Revolts and Counter-Insurgency Warfare in Southeast Asia, 1900-1985, Colonial Australia, the History of Science and Technology in Australia, 1788-1988, and Ancient Historiography.
He has published numerous articles, chapters and books on aspects of Australian history including his highly successful Pioneering Days: People and Innovations in Australia’s Rural Past, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1993, and Australia: History and Historians, Canberra. 1997.
For the past 45 years he has been closely involved in the organisation, research and writing of the Australian Dictionary of Biography (17 volumes to date), published by Melbourne University Press. In recognition of his work for this national project (he is the largest single contributor to it) he was awarded a medal by the Australian National University in 2002.
His main research interest is in social, cultural and the technological history of Australia. Since his retirement from ADFA in January 2001 he has published three books: The Bush and the Never Never, Central Queensland University Press, Rockhampton, 2004; On the Wallaby: Pioneering Days in the Australian Bush, Central Queensland University Press, Rockhampton, 2005, and Born of the Sun: Seven Young Australian Lives, Pandanus Books, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, ANU, Canberra, 2005.
He is at present writing the story of the Murrumbidgee River from 500 million years ago to the present, and an account of the Australian Dictionary of Biography project and his association with it.