Grace rises with the tide

Grace Sharma, a Year 10 student at Perth Modern School shone at the recent National History Challenge, picking up several awards, including being named 2025 National Young Historian.

She also received the state award as 2025 WA Young Historian.

Grace’s individual research essay on Indigenous sea rights focussed on the 2008 Mud Crab Bay High Court ruling and its legal impact on traditional rights to intertidal zones. 

The Mud Crab Bay case declared that the intertidal zone overlying Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory is still considered Aboriginal land, giving Traditional Owners the right to exclude commercial and recreational fishers. 

Grace said that the most exciting part of being named the National Young Historian was realising that her work can make an impact beyond the classroom.  

“Standing in Parliament House and hearing my name called was absolutely surreal, but what has stayed with me most is the opportunity to share a story centred on Indigenous sovereignty with a national audience,” Grace said. 

“It’s incredibly meaningful to know that young people’s voices are valued in conversations about history, law, and justice.  

“It’s incredibly rewarding and empowering to see that history told with care and respect can spark conversations that matter.  

“This experience has made me feel not just proud but deeply connected to the responsibility of telling stories that honour First Nations communities." 

This year’s challenge theme was “Conflict and Resolution” and Grace’s work also won the Year 10 and the First Nations History categories. 

Other WA national category winners were: 

• Year 7 - Eve O’Kane, St Mary’s Anglican School 
• Year 8 - Mei Ka Chow, Willetton Senior High School 
• Using the National Archives – Alexandria Kania – All Saints’ College 

The annual National History Challenge, operated by the History Teachers Association of Australia, has been running for 30 consecutive years. In 2025, it attracted approximately 5,000 students from 500 schools 

More information, including the full list of national and state winners, can be found on the National History Challenge website.