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The most recent edition of La Trobe Journal is an exploration of Melbourne’s gay and lesbian past. Amusingly titled Queen City of the South, it investigates an aspect of this city’s history that has frequently been overlooked or ‘hidden’. In the Introduction, guest editor Graham Willett argues that the compilation will help bring to light ‘striking stories and deep insights’ about the ‘sexual subcultures’ of Melbourne. These ‘stories’ will enrich not only our understanding of the city’s history, but also the history of homosexuality in Australia. There are essays on gay male networks in Melbourne during the interwar years, the gay liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s, the queer presence in our museums, and the (in)visibility of homosexuality in the Australian Communist Party.
The most impressive aspect of Queen City of the South is the enthusiasm which its contributors show for unearthing the lived experiences of their queer forebears. A highlight is Bev Roberts’s essay on the close relationship between a pair of nineteenth-century women farmers. Roberts cleverly illuminates the difficulties of ‘identifying and defining the sexuality of people long dead’. In his contribution, Michael Hurley captures the vibrant and politically-charged nature of gay and lesbian communities in Melbourne during the 1970s.
There are some weak points in this volume. Shane Carmody’s essay on St George is well written and researched, but it only briefly references Melbourne. As a result, this piece sits uneasily alongside the other contributions. Bisexuals and transgender people have played important roles in queer communities within and outside Australia. Alas, these groups are only mentioned briefly here.
Flaws aside, Queen City of the South is a significant contribution to Australian histories of sexuality and urban space. This collection shines a much-deserved spotlight on a side to a city that is best known for its gardens.
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