Overview
Background
Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt is the co-editor of five major public websites, Queensland Places (over 1100 places, with their history and economy), Queensland Speaks (interviews with key government ministers and public servants), the Queensland Historical Atlas and Text Queensland, a resource for studying the state. He is also the co-editor of Victorian Places, a project with Monash University, detailing over 1500 settlements in Victoria.
A Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, his research interests include coastal urbanisation and conservation, housing and the developer-led apartment boom, green space provision in urban areas and the use and abuse of water in our cities.
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney
- Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University
- Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
Works
Search Professor Peter Spearritt’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Water forever: Warragamba and Wivenhoe dams
Cook, Margaret and Spearritt, Peter (2021). Water forever: Warragamba and Wivenhoe dams. Australian Historical Studies, 52 (2), 211-226. doi: 10.1080/1031461x.2021.1882513
2018
Book
Where history happened: the hidden past of Australia’s towns and places
Spearritt, Peter (2018). Where history happened: the hidden past of Australia’s towns and places. Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia.
2017
Journal Article
From water engineers to financial engineering: water provision in Australia's east coast capital cities, 1945-2015
O'Hanlon, Seamus and Spearritt, Peter (2017). From water engineers to financial engineering: water provision in Australia's east coast capital cities, 1945-2015. Journal of Urban History, 46 (1), 009614421769298-112. doi: 10.1177/0096144217692985
2016
Other Outputs
Water, history and the Australian city: Urbanism, suburbanism and watering a dry continent, 1788-2015
Frost, Lionel, Gaynor, Andrea, Gregory, Jenny, Morgan, Ruth, O'Hanlon, Seamus, Spearritt, Peter and Young, John (2016). Water, history and the Australian city: Urbanism, suburbanism and watering a dry continent, 1788-2015.
2016
Conference Publication
Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant
Salisbury, Chris and Spearritt, Peter (2016). Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant. Australasian Urban History Planning History Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 31 January–3 February 2016. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: Australasian Urban History/Planning History Group and Griffith University.
2016
Conference Publication
Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant
Spearritt, Peter and Salisbury, Chris (2016). Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant. UHPH 2016: 13th Australasian Urban History/Planning History Conference, Griffith University, Gold Coast, 31 January–3 February 2016.
2016
Book Chapter
Cities, imperial
Ginn, Geoffrey and Spearritt, Peter (2016). Cities, imperial. The encyclopedia of empire. (pp. 1-14) edited by John M. MacKenzie, Nigel Dalziel, Nicholas Doumanis and Michael W. Charney. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118455074
2016
Conference Publication
Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant
Spearritt, Peter and Salisbury, Chris (2016). Damnation: from the Hinze Dam to the Tugun desalination plant. UHPH 2016: 13th Australasian Urban History/Planning History Conference, Griffith University, Gold Coast, 31 January–3 February 2016. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: Australasian Urban History/Planning History Group and Griffith University.
2015
Journal Article
Where did the trams go?
Spearritt, Peter and Keogh, Luke (2015). Where did the trams go?. Queensland Historical Atlas.
2015
Other Outputs
Queensland Places
Stell, Marion and Spearritt, Peter (2015). Queensland Places. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
2015
Other Outputs
PNG Speaks
Ritchie, Jonathan, Kemish, Ian, Spearritt, Peter, Stell, Marion, Lowe, David and Moutu, Andrew (2015). PNG Speaks. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea National Museum & Art Gallery.
2015
Other Outputs
Victorian places
Spearritt, Peter and Stell, Marion (2015). Victorian places. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2014
Book Chapter
Bodies on the Gold Coast
Spearritt, Peter (2014). Bodies on the Gold Coast. Flesh: The Gold Coast in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. (pp. 10-11) edited by Graham S. Burstow. St Lucia, QLD Australia: University of Queensland Press.
2014
Book
Drivers of Change: for the Australian labour market to 2030: proceedings of an expert scenario forum
Katherine Barnes and Peter Spearritt eds. (2014). Drivers of Change: for the Australian labour market to 2030: proceedings of an expert scenario forum. Canberra, ACT Australia: The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.
2014
Conference Publication
Bridge climbs: new money for cultural tourism
Spearritt, P. (2014). Bridge climbs: new money for cultural tourism. 4th International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development, Guimarães, Portugal, 22-25 July 2014. Barcelos, Portugal: Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development. doi: 10.14575/gl/heritage2014/0147
2014
Conference Publication
"Like all union things, blood was shed": conflict in Queensland’s industrial landscape
Salisbury, Chris, Stell, Marion and Spearritt, Peter (2014). "Like all union things, blood was shed": conflict in Queensland’s industrial landscape. Australian Historical Association’s ‘Conflict in History’ Conference, University of Queensland Brisbane, Australia, 7 - 11 July 2014. Fullarton, SA, Australia: sapro Conference Management.
2014
Conference Publication
Why Melbourne kept its trams
Spearritt, Peter (2014). Why Melbourne kept its trams. 12th Australasian Urban History/Planning History Conference (UHPH 2014), Wellington, New Zealand, 2–5 February 2014. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington.
2014
Conference Publication
“Like all union things, blood was shed”: conflict in Queensland’s industrial landscape
Salisbury, Chris, Stell, Marion and Spearritt, Peter (2014). “Like all union things, blood was shed”: conflict in Queensland’s industrial landscape. Conflict in History: Australian Historical Association 33rd Annual National Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 July 2014.
2013
Journal Article
Review of Design 29: creating a capital
Spearritt, Peter (2013). Review of Design 29: creating a capital. reCollections, 8 (2).
2013
Other Outputs
The modern movement in New South Wales: a thematic study and survey of places
Morris, Colleen, Spearritt, Peter and Lumby, Roy (2013). The modern movement in New South Wales: a thematic study and survey of places. North Ryde, NSW, Australia: Hericon Consulting.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
History of heritage conservation of the built environment in Queensland 1901-2001
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ashley Paine, Professor John Macarthur
Completed supervision
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
She's Got Personality Plus: Australia's female popular vocalists 1956-1986
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Master Philosophy
Grand Gifts: Nineteenth century Queensland gold and silver presentation pieces
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ross Johnston
-
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Contribution of the Whaling Industry to the Economic Development of the Australian Colonies 1770-1850
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ruth Kerr
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
From Pressure to Participation: The Role of Queensland Shelter.
Principal Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Death of the Chapel: the disappearance of printers in Queensland Newspapers
Principal Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
We'll show the world: Expo 88
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Geoff Ginn
-
2015
Master Philosophy
Split, intervention, renewal: The ALP in Queensland 1957 - 1989
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Master Philosophy
Colonel Charles Evans CMG: A Spirited Commissioner
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ruth Kerr
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
The 'smart' state: building a knowledge economy in Queensland since the 1990s
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brian Head
-
2010
Master Philosophy
Mt Coot-tha: the history of an urban forest park
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Geoff Ginn
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Damming the River: Floods in the Brisbane River Catchment 1893-2011
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Soldiers of Misfortune: Korean War Veterans in American Culture
Associate Advisor
-
2016
Master Philosophy
Sir Bruce Watson AC: a case study for Queensland's mining history, 1956-1992
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Geoff Ginn, Adjunct Professor Ruth Kerr
-
2012
Master Philosophy
Queensland Rifle Association 1861-2011
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Geoff Ginn, Associate Professor Martin Crotty
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Warrego Country: Water, People, Landscape
Associate Advisor
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Greening Capricornia: The Environmental conservation movement in Central Queensland 1960s-1990
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Clive Moore
-
2010
Doctor Philosophy
The Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia: Intellectual transmission, ideology, and the profit motive
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Robert Elson
-
2008
Doctor Philosophy
Gympie, 'the town that saved Queensland': popular culture and the construction of identity in a rural Queensland town
Associate Advisor
-
2006
Doctor Philosophy
FATAL ATTRACTION: THE RISE AND INFLUENCE OF A DOMINANT TOURISM ENTERPRISE IN REGIONAL VICTORIA.
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt directly for media enquiries about:
- Apartment living
- Australian cities
- Brisbane - population influx
- Carbon trading
- Cities - transport
- Cities in Australian
- City density
- Communting in cities
- Ecological footprint
- Energy use - cities
- Household energy use
- Housing costs
- Housing market in Australia
- Public transport
- Queensland roads
- Queensland transport
- Rental costs
- Transport in Australian cities
- Urban development
- Water restrictions
- Water use in cities
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: