Applications have now closed for the inaugural $1,500 Julie Fitzsimons Library & History Scholarship, created to support a young person connected with Bayside who is pursuing further study.
The scholarship honours former library staff member and local historian Julie Fitzsimons and is being delivered by the Nicole and Julie Fitzsimons Foundation in partnership with Bayside Council Libraries.
Who the scholarship supports
The 2026 program was open to eligible Year 12 and undergraduate students who live in the Bayside Council area or have a connection with Bayside Libraries.
Eligible study areas include history, library and information science, archival or museum studies, literature or English, and community arts or education.
The $1,500 is intended to help with education expenses such as textbooks, course materials, software or course fees rather than being provided as unrestricted cash.
Remembering Julie Fitzsimons
Julie Fitzsimons spent more than four decades working with libraries and local history. The Foundation says she began at Rockdale Library in 1978 and later worked across Hurstville, Canterbury and Georges River while maintaining a strong connection to Rockdale and Bayside.
The scholarship is designed to continue that connection with books, history, learning and community service by supporting a student entering a related field.
What happens next
Applications closed on 15 September 2026. Bayside Council says representatives from Council and the Foundation will select the successful recipient.
The Foundation lists the 2026 award ceremony for 11am on Wednesday 7 October at Rockdale City Library. Bayside News will update the story when the recipient is publicly announced rather than speculating about the result.