The practice of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) first started in Australia in the late 19th century before largely dying out.
The final tournament was attended by 25,000 people, with Jennings defeating Ross, an early large interest in Australian Hema (from a spectators point of view, at least0.
HEMA in Australia was featured by soldiers performing feats of arms, often for charity, including in at least one case, Bartitsu[2] Probably the earliest HEMA activity in Australia was that of Stephen Hand, Andrew Brew and Peter Radvan who started researching rapier and sword from period manuals in the mid 80s and teaching in around 1990.
[3][4] All three men were involved in Re-enactment groups but wanted to move more into the actual study of period combat techniques.
Stephen Hand originally from Hobart, moved to Sydney, where Brew and Radvan lived in 1989, and together they taught themselves and researched historical fencing from the few resources they had available.
[5] In 1995 a group of mostly Italian and German competitive fencers from Penrith Fencing Academy and Double Eagle at the German Austrian Club (Winter, Sanders, Ketibian, et al.) introduced training and formal competition in rapier and broadsword forming an unnamed group that endured until 2005 when it merged with the Sydney chapter of the Masonic Academy of Arms.
At around the same time in Brisbane fencers who were part of the Historical Armed Combat Association (HACA) broke away to form their own fencing organisations.
Members of the Melbourne Swordplay Guild went on to form numerous clubs in Melbourne, Die Fechtschule in 2005, GLECA (Glen Lachlann Estate College of Arms), Fechtschule Victoria in 2013, Scholar Victoria in 2017, and most recently BAA (Barwon Academy of Arms) in 2020.
[9] Over the years seminars have benefited from visiting overseas experts in HEMA, including visits to Sydney and Melbourne by Arne Koets, Guy Windsor (an expert in Italian Swordsmanship) Puck Curtis and most recently, Ingulf Kohlweiss, chief trainer of INDES Salzburg (Austria)[10] and Peter Smallridge from the UK.
By 2017, the interest in HEMA had grown to the point where there were clubs in most large cities in Australia [5][11] Some equipment, mainly for HEMA Longsword is designed in Australia, with synthetic swords and protective gauntlets made by WMA shop in Sydney, and Gambesons for Longsword designed in Melbourne by AESIR.
The Federation was initially formed with 5 groups, Stoccata, ACA, Finesse, Gemeiner Academy and Prima Spada.
With the activity of the Australian Historical Swordplay Federation winding down, another group was formed by Scott Nimmo in Melbourne.
In 2018 the Historical Fencing Association (HFA) another umbrella organisation, was formed by Jerry Gullotti along with fencers from Queensland, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney.
Early clubs in Australia focused primarily on rapier, sidesword and backsword, largely because of the interest of the practitioners, and the limited availability of English language or translated manuals at the time.
In recent times, there has also been a focus on Victorian era martial arts within HEMA in Australia, including Savate, Canne de combat, Sabre, Bartitsu and Boxing.
In 2009 Scott McDonald started what was to become one of the largest and longest running Historical European Martial Arts events, Swordplay.
Building of the Swordplay and Nordic models, Sword Fight was developed to provide a professional indoor event for Queensland historical fencers.
This event, held throughout the late 19th century in England, the United States and Australia was last won by Professor Parker in Sydney in 1891.
The 2015 event was won by Paul Wagner of Sydney, also the current holder of the Glorianna Cup, the broadsword championship of Britain.