Computing History

The Pearcey foundation is involved in many activities that aim to preserve and promote our ICT history and legacy.

 

The Pearcey Foundation's computing history activities that record our history past and as it happens include:

  • Pearcey Virtual Museum for Australian ICT Heritage, Capabilities and Heroes
  • Oral History Project
  • Maintaining Pearcey related pages on Wikipedia
  • Being the custodian of the IDG Pearcey portrait
  • Working with the Museum of Victoria on maintaining the CSIRAC display
  • Contributing to SoftwareHistory.org

Computing History

Jan 27, 2026

Computer scientist, businessman and government adviser

Guest blog by Barbara Ainsworth

Trevor Robinson contributed to the development of computing in Australia for more than 60 years in many different areas combining good technical knowledge with an understanding of the needs of the computer customers in a rapidly evolving computer industry.

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Dec 20, 2025

CIRRUS Emerges!

Celebrating another great milestone in Australian computing history, today CIRRUS is installed for your viewing pleasure on Level 1 Ingkarni Wardli at Adelaide University. More of her accessories and signage to be displayed in the new year. On behalf of all Australians, our appreciation to the Adelaide University Librarian, Siân Woolcock, and the Library Special Collections team (Fiona Borthwick, Kate Moskwa, Kate Sinclair and Elizabeth Pascale) for their outstanding efforts in restoring and presenting CIRRUS.

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Aug 21, 2025

Oral History of Australian Computing

Australia has a rich and dynamic history of invention, innovation, and commercial success in developing electronics products in computing and allied fields. Many of these achievements are within living memory. In this series of interviews by documentary expert Karl von Moller we hear first hand from the people who pioneered this era of modern electronics innovation in Australia.

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Jun 22, 2025

Grandmother of the Web

Guest blog by Barbara Ainsworth

Mary Lee Woods
enjoyed a short career in Australia at Mount Stromlo. Her son, Tim Berners-Lee, is known as the “Father of the Web”. Mary accepted the name “Grandmother of the Web’. She should be celebrated for her own career in programming.

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Nov 11, 2024

Biography - Trevor Pearcey

Mrs Barbara Ainsworth, Curator of the Monash Museum of Computing History has published a new biography of Dr Trevor Pearcey, Dean of the School of Computing and Information Systems (1980-1984).

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Dec 27, 2021

Historical Papers

This section contains a collection of papers and notes about Australian ICT history.