When NSW railway and tramway workers from Eveleigh Railway Workshops and Randwick Tramsheds walked off the job on 2 August 1917, they triggered a strike that became one of Australia’s largest industrial conflicts. The strike came at a tumultuous time in Australia’s history, against the backdrop of World War 1, rising prices and challenging working conditions. Its impact was felt for years to come.
The 1917 Great Strike Community Day will commemorate this event across the former Eveleigh Railway Workshops on Saturday 5 August. The significance and legacy of the Great Strike will be explored at Carriageworks, the past will come to life at Australian Technology Park and the recently restored Chief Mechanical Engineers Office will be revealed.
Music, art, heritage, and stories come together to mark this historic event.