Landscape format photographic image depicting a stage in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Looking south at trains with tenders used for load tests on the outer west track. In th background we can see the Sydney Observatory and houses at Millers Point.

Program Collection Conversations

Steamfest

Collection Conversations is a free program that brings the Powerhouse Collection to life through storytelling led by Powerhouse Volunteers. Each talk invites audiences to discover objects in new and meaningful ways.

Steamfest
From groundbreaking engines to early locomotives, Powerhouse Volunteers explore how steam power transformed industry and everyday life.

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Photograph of one side of a steam engine. The vertical cylinder is connected to a separate condensor to which spent steam is exhausted and cooled to form water, creating a partial vacuum. The piston, which is pushed up and then down by steam admitted to the cylinder below and then above it, is attached to the overhead beam. The other end of the beam transfers motion via a connecting rod to the 'planet' gear, which turns the horizontal drive shaft via the 'sun' gear. A large flywheel, which maintains momentum between strokes, is attached to the horizontal drive shaft, which also carries the smaller toothed drive wheel and the governor pulley. — 1/3
Boulton and Watt rotative steam engine, 1785, 1785
Object No. 18432

A Merryweather steam fire engine comprises a boiler, steam pumping engine and various accessories necessary for generating and maintaining steam pressure in order to pump water. All the machinery is mounted on a sprung carriage which has four steel-tyred wooden wheels and was pulled by two horses. — 2/3
Merryweather horse-drawn steam fire engine from Broken Hill, 1895
Object No. B1406

Side view of two monorail cars on wooden blocks. The outside panels include images of sea life such as star fish and text: 'Darling Harbour' and 'www.monorail.com.au' — 3/3
Sydney Monorail Cars, 1987
Object No. 2014/13/1

Also in the Series

Seasonal Rituals

11—24 Jun Across Sydney

Caring for Country

9—22 Jul Across Sydney

National Science Week

13—26 Aug

Across Sydney

Parramatta

10—23 Sep Across Sydney

Diwali

8—28 Oct Across Sydney

Educators

12—25 Nov Across Sydney

Community

10—17 Dec Across Sydney

Remembrance

Ended 24 Apr 2025Across Sydney

Writing

Ended 28 May 2025Across Sydney

Textiles

Ended 26 Jun 2025Across Sydney

Innovation

Ended 24 Jul 2025Across Sydney

Science

Ended 28 Aug 2025Across Sydney

Design

Ended 25 Sept 2025Across Sydney

Space

Ended 23 Oct 2025Across Sydney

Fashion

Ended 27 Nov 2025Across Sydney

Community

Ended 18 Dec 2025Across Sydney

Lunar New Year

Ended 25 Feb 2026Across Sydney

Nowruz

Ended 25 Mar 2026Across Sydney

Writers

Ended 27 May 2026Across Sydney

A silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. A silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image shows fish traps in a section of the Darling River. The fish traps consist of low stone walls constructed on the river bed. The walls are arranged to form cul de sacs that trap the fish. The Tyrrell Collection Inventory records the above caption but does not attribute the negative to a studio.

A silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. A silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image shows fish traps in a section of the Darling River. The fish traps consist of low stone walls constructed on the river bed. The walls are arranged to form cul de sacs that trap the fish. The Tyrrell Collection Inventory records the above caption but does not attribute the negative to a studio.

Black and white photograph of a street scene in Keijo, Korea, showing pedestrians walking either side along a banner filled street.

Black and white photograph of a street scene in Keijo, Korea, showing pedestrians walking either side along a banner filled street.

Black and white photograph of the first Australian airmail flight at Government House Melbourne. Multiple men in suits and hats looking to a pilot sitting on a plane, preparing to fly.

Black and white photograph of the first Australian airmail flight at Government House Melbourne. Multiple men in suits and hats looking to a pilot sitting on a plane, preparing to fly.

Collection Conversations

MonthlyAcross Sydney

Sessions

Collection Conversations: Steamfest

Thursday 9 April, 11amPowerhouse Castle Hill

2 Green Rd, Castle Hill NSW 2154
All Collection Conversations at Castle Hill are followed by a tour of the collections on display.

Collection Conversations: Steamfest

Thursday 16 April, 1pmSydney Observatory

1003 Upper Fort St, Millers Point NSW 2000

Collection Conversations: Steamfest

Wednesday 22 April, 11amPowerhouse Ultimo, Research Library

87 Macarthur St, Ultimo NSW 2007

Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image depicts St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Parramatta. The church is depicted in the centre of the image. The front of the church features a turret like tower with four spires. The electric tramway is depicted in the foreground of the image. Other buildings are partially depicted on either side of the church. A hansom cab can be seen in the foreground in the left side of the image. The caption, studio mark and studio number are inscribed on the reverse of the negative.

Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image depicts St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Parramatta. The church is depicted in the centre of the image. The front of the church features a turret like tower with four spires. The electric tramway is depicted in the foreground of the image. Other buildings are partially depicted on either side of the church. A hansom cab can be seen in the foreground in the left side of the image. The caption, studio mark and studio number are inscribed on the reverse of the negative.

A landscape black and white photograph depicting two men and two women browsing in the book room, later known as the Margaret Street Bookshop.

Black and white photograph depicting a woman (Subbulakshmi) wearing a sari looking down at a man (her husband T. Sadasivam) seated.

Black and white photograph depicting a woman (Subbulakshmi) wearing a sari looking down at a man (her husband T. Sadasivam) seated.

Photograph of a group study of "Fullerton Public School" pupils, posed in four rows in front of a wooden building with man in suit and bowler hat. There are 34 children of ages ranging from about 5 to about 15. The boy at centre front is holding a sign reading 'Fullerton / Public School / 18.8.09.'. Horizontal format on embossed cream mount.

Photograph of a group study of "Fullerton Public School" pupils, posed in four rows in front of a wooden building with man in suit and bowler hat. There are 34 children of ages ranging from about 5 to about 15. The boy at centre front is holding a sign reading 'Fullerton / Public School / 18.8.09.'. Horizontal format on embossed cream mount.

Photograph from negative with the caption "Coney Island spells fun to the child in any grown-up. Beneath the Harbour Bridge Sydney has its own version of Coney Island inside the bizarre mouth of Luna Park right on the waterfront."

Photograph from negative with the caption "Coney Island spells fun to the child in any grown-up. Beneath the Harbour Bridge Sydney has its own version of Coney Island inside the bizarre mouth of Luna Park right on the waterfront."

Man standing in field surrounded by those in uniforms.

Man standing in field surrounded by those in uniforms.

Photograph of a woman sitting at a desk writing, holding a fountain pen, and a Bakelite telephone in front of her.

Photograph of a woman sitting at a desk writing, holding a fountain pen, and a Bakelite telephone in front of her.

Textiles

Textiles

Colour photographic print of a 1914 Daimler and train, cut from calendar or magazine.

Colour photographic print of a 1914 Daimler and train, cut from calendar or magazine.

A black and white photographic print mounted on a sheet of linen. Photo of Captain Sharp demonstrating two Magnavox phonographs, white paper label glued to back 'CAPTAIN SHARP DEMONSTRATING WITH MV-1 & SONORA'.

A black and white photographic print mounted on a sheet of linen. Photo of Captain Sharp demonstrating two Magnavox phonographs, white paper label glued to back 'CAPTAIN SHARP DEMONSTRATING WITH MV-1 & SONORA'.

A sepia-toned photograph of the design awards, in which four figures -- two men, two women -- speak together in a loose huddle, drinks in hand.

A sepia-toned photograph of the design awards, in which four figures -- two men, two women -- speak together in a loose huddle, drinks in hand.

Space

Space

A black and white photograph of designers Jenny Kee wearing a Kee designed knit and Linda Jackson wearing a Linda Jackson designed jacket.

A black and white photograph of designers Jenny Kee wearing a Kee designed knit and Linda Jackson wearing a Linda Jackson designed jacket.

Black and white photograph showing two women, using back strap looms in a hut while two girls sit between them, in the centre of the photograph. The back strap loom used the weaver's body to provide the correct tension to the warps, the other end of which are tied to a rod, which is suspended from the roof timbers.

Black and white photograph showing two women, using back strap looms in a hut while two girls sit between them, in the centre of the photograph. The back strap loom used the weaver's body to provide the correct tension to the warps, the other end of which are tied to a rod, which is suspended from the roof timbers.

Black and white photograph, depicting Chinese New Year Procession. A paper dragon puppet lifted by sticks above a crowd of people, with large banners and signs surrounding them.

Black and white photograph, depicting Chinese New Year Procession. A paper dragon puppet lifted by sticks above a crowd of people, with large banners and signs surrounding them.

A rectangular glazed tile is painted in cobalt-blue, turquoise, manganese and pink with a black outline on a white ground and was made for the decoration of the wall of an internal reception hall, the external wall of a castle or the house of an aristocratic Qajar family.

A rectangular glazed tile is painted in cobalt-blue, turquoise, manganese and pink with a black outline on a white ground and was made for the decoration of the wall of an internal reception hall, the external wall of a castle or the house of an aristocratic Qajar family.

Black and white photograph of a morse code operator, a gentleman at a desk with morse code equipment.

Black and white photograph of a morse code operator, a gentleman at a desk with morse code equipment.

Ended 22 Apr 2026

Times and dates vary across Sydney

3 sessions

1amThu9 April 20263amThu16 April 20261amWed22 April 2026

Free

FreeGeneral Drop-ins welcome

Across Sydney

Country Always

Country Always

Caring for Country

A Corner of the Empire

A Corner of the Empire

The Garden Palace

The Holding Pen

The Holding Pen

The Agricultural Hall

Regional Networks

Regional Networks

Across New South Wales

A Museum of Doing

A Museum of Doing

Technological Museum

Expanding Stories

Expanding Stories

Evolution of the Castle Hill site from botanical research station to Museum Discovery Centre

Transforming the Tramsheds

Transforming the Tramsheds

Powerhouse Stage 1 and the Harwood Building

A Symbol in Time

A Symbol in Time

Sydney Observatory

Ongoing Transformations

Ongoing Transformations

Powerhouse Ultimo

Applied Arts and Sciences

Applied Arts and Sciences

Defining the terms in the 21st century

Powerhouse Renewal

Powerhouse Renewal

A transformative renewal program across four sites

We Rise

We Rise

Blak Powerhouse

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

An initiative of the Powerhouse: Future Space program

2024

2024

Exoskeleton

Exoskeleton

Powerhouse Parramatta

Steamfest

Parramatta

Parramatta

2026

April Collection Conversations | Steamfest | Powerhouse