About Liz

Dr Liz (Elizabeth) Rushen is an historian, lecturer, researcher, author and publisher with a PhD in history from Monash University.

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An independent scholar, Liz has published widely, mainly in the field of migration history and women in colonial Australia, including Single and Free: female migration to Australia, 1833-1837 and a social history, Bishopscourt Melbourne: official residence and family home.

In 2018-2019 Liz was awarded a Creative Fellowship by the State Library Victoria, to research the life and writings of Edmund Finn (‘Garryowen’), a project which is ongoing. Recently she has been employed as consulting historian to the archaeologists at the Melbourne Metro Tunnel site on Swanston Street, and has been appointed a Director of the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network.

Liz regularly speaks at conferences, to community groups and local historical societies. Liz co-hosted a weekly history hour on ABC 774 in 2004 and since then, has appeared on TV, in newspaper articles and has been interviewed for broadcast media.

Liz is co-founder and a director of Anchor Books Australia, an independent publishing company, focussing on Australian history.

Recently Liz has been working with songwriter and musician Helen Begley to portray the experiences of women who migrated to colonial Australia. In conjunction with actor and singer Penny Larkins, Helen’s work has developed into original song cycles with theatrical elements and accompanying workshops that explore Australian women’s history.  

As Chair of the History Council of Victoria, at the 25th Victorian Museum Awards, Liz presented the Award for Lifetime Achievement to Christine Grayden in recognition of Christine's four decades of volunteer work documenting the history and protecting the heritage of Churchill and Phillip Islands.