Bathurst's Wiradyuri elders have contributed their stories to a Sydney Living Museums exhibition documenting the significance of Hyde Park Barracks to Australia's convict history. The exhibition, due to open at the barracks this Friday, explores the impact of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site on Sydney's early history, including convict relations with Indigenous Australians. Local elders worked together with Sydney Living Museums staff to tell the story of the 1824 Bathurst Wars, where Windradyne and his Wiradyuri warriors fought against European settlers. READ ALSO: Singing from the heart: Karen Knowles' cultural journey "The influx of convicts into this region caused a dramatic change in how Aboriginal people were treated," Wiradyuri elder Mallyan [Uncle Brian Grant] said. "It was a war against two nations fighting for the right to stand in their own country." The elders' contributions document two key events: the murder of Windradyne's wife and son during the Potato Field Incident and his subsequent attack on convict stockmen at Millah Murrah, near Wattle Flat. In addition, Mallyan and fellow elders Dinawan Dyirribang [Uncle Bill Allen] and Wirribee [Aunty Leanna Carr-Smith] are featured on film discussing the impact of convict history on today's society. READ ALSO: Wiradyuri elders lead cultural training day with New Horizons Bathurst Elder Dinawan Dyirribang [Uncle Bill Allen], a descendant of Windradyne, said the process has helped forged a more complete account of Wiradyuri/convict relations in Bathurst's early years. "You're never going to have a true recount of history until you have all sides of the story," Dinawan said. "This exhibition offers a more well-rounded perspective of Bathurst's past, and how one particular incident changed the course of our history." With Hyde Park Barracks situated in the heart of Sydney's CBD, elder Yanhadarrambal [Uncle Jade Flynn] hopes the exhibition will encourage visitors to ask more questions about Australia's shared history. "We hope local education organisations will plan trips to Sydney to take advantage of the voice that we have been given," Yanhadarrambal said. "The staff at Sydney Living Museums have been fantastic to work with, and each party has benefited from a respectful approach to learning and research." READ ALSO: NAIDOC Day was a celebration of culture and the community Sydney Living Museums head of content for strategic projects Beth Hise said the organisation spent over a year working with the elders to put their contributions together. "The elders developed the stories, directed the design of the models, informed the script and approved work each step of the way," Ms Hise said. "They've enabled us to tell important stories beyond the walls of the Hyde Park Barracks which will help our visitors - many of whom are international tourists - come away with a richer understanding of Australia's interwoven and complex history." For more information on the exhibition, visit the Hyde Park Barracks website.