Fiona Gatt

Fiona Gatt is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Property History at the School of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney. Her academic work bridges historical analysis with contemporary urban and property studies.

• Education: PhD in Australian Urban History (2023), described as a 'benchmark of its generation'.

Fiona’s research explores the intersections of class formation, housing history, land/property ownership, and First Nations history. Her current project investigates Australia’s first generation of private property owners, contextualizing their legacy within broader national history. She has contributed to journals like Fabrications, History Australia, and Postcolonial Studies, focusing on urban planning, memory, and colonial legacies.

Scientific awards:

• Centre for Contemporary History (Deakin), Early Career Researcher Grant (2023)
• Historian-In-Residence, Royal Historical Society of Victoria (2023–2024)
• Post-PhD Publication Scholarship (Deakin, 2022)
• Victorian Community History Awards Commendation (2021)
• Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (2020–2022)

Fiona has taught history at Deakin and La Trobe Universities. She co-convenes the New Housing History Network and serves as Vice President of the Professional Historians Association (Vic & Tas). Her affiliations include the Australian Historical Association and the Centre for Contemporary Histories (Deakin University).