About Our Past

Discovering the history hiding in plain sight.

I'm Jacob Ure, a Newcastle-based filmmaker and public history researcher, and the creator of Our Past.

I started Our Past with a simple curiosity: what happened in the places we pass every day, and how many fascinating stories have been forgotten along the way?

What began as a series of short videos exploring local history has grown into an independent project dedicated to researching, documenting and sharing stories from Australia's past, with a particular focus on Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter region.

From unusual discoveries and forgotten landmarks to major historical events, I aim to make history accessible to everyone.

Researching and sharing our history

Every story begins with research. I draw on historical newspapers, archival records, photographs, original documents and, wherever possible, firsthand accounts from people who experienced the events themselves.

That research is brought to life through short videos, articles and documentaries, including Operation Seagull: The Stockton Bight Disaster, which explores a little-known Australian military tragedy, and Before It's Gone, a series highlighting the people working to preserve our heritage.

Our Past also works with organisations and communities to document and share their histories, with guided history tours expanding the ways people can discover the past.

Why it matters

I believe history is most interesting when we can connect it to the places and people around us.

An ordinary building, an old railway tunnel or a seemingly unremarkable patch of bushland can take on an entirely different meaning when you understand what happened there.

Through Our Past, I hope to encourage people to look a little closer at their surroundings, ask questions and discover the stories that have shaped the places we know today.