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  2021-10-13

  Evolving Traditions at Ormond College

  Pictured here is the 2021 Ormond College Scholar’s Dinner. This event has a long history at the College as a celebration of academic excellence. Yet in 2021 it looked a little different than in previous years. In this image you can see the hallmarks of the COVID-19 pandemic – mask wearing, seated social distancing and individual, single serve drinks. Nevertheless, many of the rich traditions of the College can still be seen – a formal hall, the use of the original dining hall and the wearing of academic gowns. There is both continuity and change within this image. In this, it gives insight into a tension felt by many during the pandemic – the desire to hold onto the past, but the need to be adaptive. HIST30060
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  2021-08-19

  Royal Exhibition Building: A COVID-19 Vaccination Centre

  Pictured here is the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building during its time as a COVID-19 Vaccination Centre. This building has had a plethora of purposes throughout its history. For me, it was once my university exam hall, and now in August 2021 it was the site of my first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination. In this, one is given a glimpse into the transformations that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to life in Melbourne. The city itself still exists, almost entirely unchanged, but the way we live our lives within it has been radically re-shaped by this pandemic. HIST30060
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  2021-01-19

  Australian State Border Closures: Permit System

  Pictured here is my Victorian border entry permit, issued in January 2021. At this time, due to Australian state and territory border closures, all people entering the state of Victoria were required to hold a government-issued border entry permit. To be eligible for this permit, one had to have spent the previous fourteen days in a so-called ‘green zone’, that is, an area deemed by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to be of low COVID risk. Embodied then within this permit is the impact of COVID-19 on the daily lives of Australians. While once able to freely travel, government permission was now required for movement across state and territory borders. These restrictions placed immense financial and emotional strain on many Australians throughout 2020 and 2021, including myself. Note: For privacy reasons, personal information has been redacted from this document HIST30060
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  2021-01-02

  A Journal from Mandatory Hotel Quarantine

  This here is the journal entry I wrote on my first night in 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine at the Northern Territory’s Howard Springs Quarantine Facility in January 2021. At this time, in an effort to control the spread of covid, movement between many Australian states and territories required mandatory hotel quarantine upon arrival. For many, including myself, this process was filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Yet simultaneously, a sense of excitement and adventure. This journal entry gives insight into the complexities of emotions associated with the Australian Covid-19 Hotel Quarantine System. HIST30060