Sherry Morris may not have been born in Wagga, but she has arguably become its leading expert.
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Ms Morris arrived in town from the big smoke in the early 70s and entrenched herself in the mysteries and wonders of its rich history.
More than four decades later, the 71-year-old has been referred to as “Wagga’s historian”, according to archivist Paul O'Donnell.
As part of a weekly Rewind Wagga series, The Daily Advertiser is investigating the stories behind the city’s most beloved pastimes, events, people, places and icons.
It would be fair to say, Sherry Morris has become one of these icons.
Having grown up in rural Australia, Ms Morris said she felt drawn to the country, but the Riverina was very much a blank page when she arrived.
It was a blank page she had no trouble filling.
I'm so fascinated by Wagga history.
- Sherry Morris
The young mother brought her passion for the past and expertise as a historian with her, writing close to 30 books about Wagga and surrounds across 46 years.
“I wanted to continue doing something when I moved here,” Ms Morris said.
“I got a job at 2WG, writing five-minute snippets ... I read newspaper to do that.”
Building a strong knowledge base of the community’s ancestry, she began writing articles for The Daily Advertiser and “it sort of flowed from there”.
Ms Morris said it had all started with a book she drafted, exploring the background of North Wagga Public School, where her three children were enrolled.
While some books and publications were printed out of her own pocket, Ms Morris was also commissioned by the university and museum and contracted to write more across the years.
Her latest publication, revealing the story behind CSU’s former Doman Hall, followed her proudest piece Kapooka, From Engineers’ Camp to Home of the Soldier, which was launched in 2017.
The book opens with how the Wiradjuri people nurtured the land for thousands of years, before pastoralists and farmers arrived in the 19th Century. The following pages investigate how Kapooka has left impacted Australia’s many soldier’s across 75 years.
Prior to this, Ms Morris had been named a state-prize winner for her most renowned composition, Wagga Wagga : a history.
The tireless work and dedication to the city community earned her a Queen’s honour last year, when she was bestowed a Medal of the Order of Australia.
“I’m so fascinated by Wagga history,” Ms Morris said. “It’s just so rich and a lot of it was untapped.”
Without having grown up in the region, the 71-year-old wondered if she could call herself a local.
“I often ask people if I can be considered a local now,” she said. “I think I am.”
