My name is Kelly Bonato. I’m in my 60s and share life with my husband, our two amazing adult children, two lively Havanese dogs, and two very cute Siberian cats.

My journey into editing, colouring and sharing photographs began quite by chance. While tidying the garage, I came across a box of old family photos from the 1860s that had been tucked away for more than thirty years. Intrigued, I began restoring and colourising them, teaching myself new skills as I went.

When I showed these images to my family, something wonderful happened — the faded faces and places seemed to spring back to life. Seeing them in colour created a stronger, more personal connection to the past. It stopped being only about the Knight family and became part of the broader story of South Australia.

Since then, my passion for history has only grown. I love exploring the stories of South Australia and using colour to help others imagine the past as it might have been. Every image is painted by hand in Photoshop, with hours — sometimes days — of careful work and research to get the details right.

I’m honoured to have been recognised by the History Council of South Australia as the Emerging Historian 2025. My work has appeared in The Advertiser, the National Library of Australia, ABC, the Adelaide Parklands Association, Adelaide AZ, and with the Burnside and Mitcham councils, among others. It has also featured in exhibitions and publications.

You can follow my work on social media at A Colourful History, where I share new projects, stories and events. Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for fresh images and market dates. I’d love you to join the community, share your thoughts and connect with others who enjoy bringing history to life.

For me, colourising history is about more than restoring old photographs. It’s about preserving memories, sparking curiosity, and helping people feel closer to the lives, places and moments that shaped our past.