Tharunka

Established in 1953 at the then New South Wales University of Technology, Tharunka was UNSW’s student magazine. It was published over the years in a variety of forms by the Students Union (1953 - 1992), the Student Guild (1993 - 2006) and Arc (2007 - 2023).

The first issue of Tharunka was published in March 1953. The journal of the then recently formed Students' Union, its first editors were Harold Spies and Sid Dunk. The number of issues released each year varied widely - in 1953, four issues were published, while for much of the 1960s and 1970s it appeared on a weekly basis during session.

From 1961 – 2019 a special Foundation Day issue with a satirical take on a current publication was circulated each year as a key part of the day's celebrations. In the early years, money raised through the sale of the special Foundation Day issues went to charitable causes. Controversy often followed Tharunka, particularly in 1964 and 1970, when its creators were taken to court, charged with publishing an obscene publication. 

From 1993 the Students' Union was re-named the Student Guild. In 2007, following the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU), the Student Guild merged with the University Union, and the COFA Students' Association to form Arc, who published Tharunka until 2023.

In 2024 the name of UNSW's student magazine was changed to Gamamari. More information about the current magazine can be found on Arc's Gamamari page.

This collection contains issues of Thurunka from 1953 - 2023 which have been digitised by UNSW Library. Some volumes may not contain all issues. 

If you have missing issues that can be digitised or further questions about the history of Tharunka, please contact UNSW Archives. Print issues of Tharunka are also held in the Archives.