The Australian Heritage Festival begins 18 April 2026 and runs until 18 May 2026. It is the largest community-driven heritage celebration in Australia.
Working in partnership with event organisers across New South Wales, the festival offers a diverse program of events that showcase and celebrate our natural, built and cultural heritage.
From the city to the regions, the local Lane Cove program offers access to a wide range of free and ticketed exhibitions, tours, workshops, performances, talks, demonstrations and more.
The 2026 Australian Heritage Festival theme, Change, explores how history continues to shape our present and future. It highlights heritage as something living and evolving, shaped by each generation.
You can search for an event here or have a look at the local events we have listed below.
Lane Cove Heritage Festival Events
Military History – Japanese Invasion Australia
Tuesday, 14 April 2026 | 06:15 PM to 07:45 PM
Following the First World War, Japan was identified by defence strategists as a likely threat to Australia.
Lieutenant Colonel Rowan Tracey LLB BA will explore how close Australia came to being invaded by Japan in 1942, and what role did the Prime Minister and Australian Government play in fostering the fear of invasion in the Australian population. Book Here
Changing Lifestyles
- Saturday 18 April 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Adult $12, Concession $10, Child $10, Family $30
- No bookings are necessary
New Australian Bookplate Society 2006-2026 Exhibition: Celebrating 20 years of bookplates
- Saturday 18 April 2026 onwards. 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Lane Cove Library
- More info here
The New Australian Bookplate Society, a national non-profit organisation founded in 2006 and based in Lane Cove, is out to raise awareness of bookplates among booklovers.
Bookplates are labels pasted into books to identify the owner and to discourage borrowers from ‘forgetting’ to return the book. The use of bookplates began in Germany not long after Gutenberg started the printed book revolution. This display looks at the history of bookplates in Australia and the history of The New Australian Bookplate Society.
Discover Your World War Australian Soldier
- Tuesday 21 April 2026, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Free Lane Cove Library
- Booking essential – Book Tickets
Moments in Music: Music that helped win the wars
- Wednesday 22 April 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Free Lane Cove Library
- Booking Essential – Book Tickets
Join local musician Graham Ball as he presents popular songs of the World Wars that sustained morale and provided much needed relaxation and entertainment. Bookings essential.
Author Talk with Gill Shaddick – The Lion behind the Anthill
- Thursday 23 April 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
- Free Lane Cove Library
- Bookings Essential – Book Tickets
The Lion Behind the Anthill by Gill Shaddick is a captivating memoir about love, adventure and travel to exotic places. Reckless and optimistic Gill and Mike’s adventures took them around the world living unlikely lives in extraordinary places. Books are available for purchase on the night. Bookings essential.
Lane Cove House History
- Thursday 14 May 2026, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
- Free Lane Cove Library
- Bookings Essential – Book Tickets
Who’s been living in my house? A number of families have probably called your house a home. This hands-on seminar will show you how to use rate books, council records and photographs to find out who they were. Limited places. Bookings essential.
Carisbrook Historic House
The Heritage Festival is the ideal time to see living history by visiting Carisbrook Historic House on Burns Bay Road. You can tour the house, which shows you and your family what life was like in the 1880s. It’s history recreated before your eyes. There is a self-guided audio-visual experience. Once you have visited the house, sit back, relax and have Devonshire Tea in the courtyard.
Carisbrook is located overlooking the Lane Cove River and the gardens are magnificent.
In the early 1880s, Charles and Marian Brooks and their children moved into their remote north side home. The easiest way to get to Carisbrook was by ferryboat from Circular Quay along the pristine Lane Cove River to the ferry stop at Hunters Hill. A quick row across the river to their own private wharf, and they were home.
Today’s Visitors are welcome to come by road instead of car to get to know the Brooks family.
House tours are from $10, Devonshire Tea is $15, and there is free parking.
Carisbrook Historic House is open on 18th/19th April and 16/17 May 2026 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and every third weekend of the month (except December)
Capture Your Own History
If you would like to capture your own history, you may want to speak to Trixie at Teacup Films. Lane Cove local Trixie Young, founder of Teacup Films, has built a new business around capturing life stories before they are lost with professionally filmed life-story videos for families who don’t want their memories to fade. Read more here.
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