Geoffrey Blainey facts for kids

Geoffrey Norman Blainey (born 11 March 1930) is a very well-known Australian historian and author. He has written many popular books. He is also a respected university professor and a public speaker.

Blainey is famous for his books about Australia's economic and social history. One of his most important books is The Tyranny of Distance. He has written over 40 books, including histories of the world and of Christianity. You might have seen him in newspapers or on TV.

He taught history at the University of Melbourne for more than 20 years. In 1988, he received the Britannica Award. This award is for people who are excellent at sharing knowledge. He was the first historian to win it. In 2000, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, a very high honour.

Geoffrey Blainey has been called one of Australia's most important historians. He has also been a leader or member of many important groups. These include the Australia Council and the Australian War Memorial. The National Trust even calls him one of Australia's "Living Treasures".

Early Life and Education

Geoffrey Blainey was born in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in different country towns in Victoria. Later, he went to Wesley College and the University of Melbourne. While at university, he was the editor of the student newspaper, Farrago.

After university, Blainey started writing. He traveled to Tasmania to research the history of a mining company. This led to his first book, The Peaks of Lyell (1954). This book was so popular it was printed six times! He also wrote a history of his university. In 1957, he married Ann Warriner Heriot. Ann Blainey also became a famous author.

Exploring History Through Books

Geoffrey Blainey has written over 40 books. His books cover many different topics.

Understanding Australia's Past

One of his most famous books is The Tyranny of Distance. This book explores how Australia's distance from other countries shaped its history. Blainey suggested that Britain didn't just send convicts to Australia. He argued that other reasons, like trade and strategy, were also important. This idea caused a lot of discussion among historians.

Another important book is Triumph of the Nomads (1975). This book helped people understand the history of Aboriginal Australia before Europeans arrived. It showed how different Aboriginal groups were from each other.

World History and Conflict

Blainey also wrote The Causes of War (1973). This book looks at human conflicts over two centuries. It is often used by experts studying international conflict. He also wrote A Short History of the World (2000).

He has updated some of his older books with new discoveries. For example, Triumph of the Nomads was revised into The Story of Australia's People Vol 1: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia.

History on Screen

Blainey has also written for newspapers and television. The Blainey View (1982) was a ten-episode TV series about Australian history. It was shown on ABC television.

Blainey's Role in Academia and Public Life

Geoffrey Blainey had a long career in universities and public service.

Teaching and Leadership

In 1961, he started teaching at the University of Melbourne. He became a professor in 1968. From 1994 to 1998, he was the first leader (Chancellor) of the University of Ballarat. He also taught at Harvard University in the United States.

Helping Australian Culture

Blainey helped shape Australian culture and public life. He was involved in setting up the Australia Council for the Arts. This group supports artists and writers. He also helped create the Public Lending Right Scheme. This scheme pays authors when their books are borrowed from libraries.

He was part of the group that chose "Advance Australia Fair" as Australia's national anthem. He also helped with the inquiry that led to the National Museum of Australia being built. This museum focuses on Indigenous history.

Blainey was also the chairman of the Australia-China Council. This group helps build good relationships between Australia and China. In 2001, he led the National Council for the Centenary of Federation. This group celebrated 100 years since Australia became a nation.

Different Views on History

Geoffrey Blainey has been part of important discussions about how we understand Australian history. These discussions are sometimes called the "History Wars."

The "Black Armband" View

In 1993, Blainey used the phrase "Black armband view of history." He used this to describe historians who he felt focused too much on the negative parts of Australia's past. He felt they sometimes presented Australian history since European settlement as mainly a story of violence and unfairness.

He suggested that some people believed Australia's history between 1788 and 1950 was not good. This was because it was mostly settled by people from Britain.

The "Three Cheers" View

Blainey contrasted this with the "three cheers" view. This was a more patriotic view that saw Australian history as mostly a success. He believed that while the "black armband" view corrected some past ideas, it might have gone too far in being negative.

Blainey's own book, Triumph of the Nomads, was very supportive of Aboriginal people. He has also questioned some recent claims about Aboriginal life before 1788.

He believes these debates about history will continue. This is because Australia's main historical stories—Aboriginal and European—are very different.

Awards and Recognition

Geoffrey Blainey has received many awards for his work.

In 1975, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. This was for his important contribution to Australian literature. In 2000, he received the even higher award of Companion of the Order of Australia.

In 1988, he won a gold medal from the United Nations in New York. This award was for "excellence in the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of mankind." His book The Causes of War was one reason for this award.

He is an honorary professor at the University of Melbourne. He is also a fellow of important academic groups like the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

In 2016, his book The Story of Australia's People Volume 1: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia won the Prime Minister's Literary Awards for History.

The University of Melbourne has even created a scholarship in his honour. It is called "The Geoffrey Blainey Scholarship for Honours in Economic History."