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FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETIES INC

 

e-BULLETIN No. 150 – 22 April 2016

 

Compiled by Bernadette Flynn (fahsbflynn@gmail.com)

Published with the support of a Commonwealth Heritage & Icons Grant via the ACT government. 

 

 

1) The FAHS milestone of 150 e-Bulletins


2) Parliamentary Friends of History & Heritage – National Lottery


3) Thousands of Aboriginal Artefacts discovered at Sydney's new light rail line


4) The waters of Australian deserts cultural thematic study


5) FAHS Merit Award presented to Dr Rosalie Triolo


6) 75 Years of Ord Irrigation – History Forum, Kununurra, June 24th-26th


7) 2016 Victorian Museum Awards are now open


8) Regional courses by the Public Land Consultancy


9) Oral History Queensland: ‘Interview with your iPad’


10) Mark Tedeschi at the Dharug and Lower Hawksbury Historical Society: 27th May


11) 'Living History' theatre production at World Heritage Great North Road


12) Exhibition about Anne Frank at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum

 

 

 

1) The FAHS milestone of 150 e-Bulletins

Ruth Kerr

The FAHS is delighted that we have reached the major milestone of having published 150 e-Bulletins.

 

We wish to pay tribute to Dr Ruth Kerr who devised and introduced the e-Bulletin and edited the vast majority of the e-Bulletins, only standing down as editor in 2015. Past issues from 2009 can be found at http://www.history.org.au/E-Bulletin.html .

 

Left image: Dr Ruth Kerr, OAM (Immediate Past President FAHS)

 

2) Parliamentary Friends of History & Heritage – National Lottery

 

The Parliamentary Friends of History & Heritage is pursuing the national lottery concept and is seeking ways in which it may operate.

 

The Australian Heritage Strategy, released late in 2015 http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/publications/australian-heritage-strategy includes a recommendation that an Australian National Lottery be established to fund Heritage (and probably Arts) projects. It offers the opportunity for the Commonwealth to recommence funding to community heritage, after it was suspended following the Chaplains’ Case -

 Where to now for Commonwealth grants programs post-Williams (No 2)?

 

Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for the Environment (and Heritage) is promoting the idea, as is Eric Hutchinson, MHR, Convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of History & Heritage. The Environment Department is currently examining how it may be established, but no details have yet been released.

 

The FAHS strongly supports the Lottery and urges all community history and heritage groups to promote the idea publicly and to their federal members of parliament.

 

(Source: FAHS, Professor Don Garden)

 

 

 

3) Thousands of Aboriginal Artefacts discovered at Sydney's new light rail line

 

Aboriginal artefactsAboriginal artefacts

Images: Tocomwall Cultural Heritage Consultants

 

Thousands of Indigenous artefacts have been uncovered during excavation works for Sydney's light rail project in the eastern suburbs. The project managers have stopped work on the site for now, but there are calls for a complete halt, with concerns it could be a mass Aboriginal grave. The New South Wales government is not confirming whether it will continue construction on a section of Sydney's new light rail line where thousands of Indigenous artefacts have been found.

 

About 20,000 artefacts were discovered in excavation pits around the rail line's proposed tram stable yard in Randwick, in the city's east. They include items believed to have been traded from the state's Lower Hunter Valley which have never been seen before. Transport for New South Wales recognised the significance of the find between late 2015 and January this year, but has not said if it will stop work on the $2.1 billion project. Altrac Light Rail chief executive Glen Bentley says the company is communicating with all the stakeholders. ‘With the heritage experts and Aboriginal stakeholders, with all that evidence, we'll be able to put together the story of what happened here.’

 

Indigenous heritage advocates have called for the site to be classed as an Aboriginal heritage area. Some of the excavations could contain graves. A cultural heritage specialist with the consultancy Tocomwall, Scott Franks, says it is a significant find. ‘This is a site of significance, nationally. Whatever means, we need to know. It's holding the Australian government to account, or the Crown. It's about understanding what happened here, so our old peoples can rest.’

 

Another cultural heritage specialist with Tocomwall, Danny Franks, says the range of objects is of major historical significance. ‘The density of artefacts that were found go into the tens of thousands, and a higher proportion of them were tips, blades. Now this leads us to suggest there was conflict here, which very well was a high probability of meaning there was death associated with this site.’ Citing journals from 1791, Scott Franks says it could have been the site of conflict between traditional landowners and Governor Arthur Phillip's troops. ‘This site represents a clear confrontation of women, children and men who were taken from the land. Ripping this up and not treating it like a proper archaeological dig is criminal.’ While the objects have been recovered and catalogued, there is no guarantee the site will be protected.

Aboriginal artefacts

Altrac Light Rail's Glen Bentley says it is too early to tell what will be done with the discovery. ‘So there's no works happening in this area, where we're continuing with this investigation. So, until we finish that investigation, there will be no further works. The social value of this to the local Aboriginal community is immense, and we're very committed to continue working with Aboriginal stakeholders to unlock the puzzle.’

 

 

Photo: David Shoebridge

 

(Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/04/01/aboriginal-artefacts-found-sydney-light-rail-site)

 

 

 

4) The waters of Australian deserts cultural thematic study

 

Map of deserts study area

Map of Deserts Study Area

 

A study of the cultural heritage values of places in arid Australia is being carried out from March to June 2016 for the Australian Heritage Council, to guide their decisions on arid zone places nominated for the National Heritage List.

 

The traditional and contemporary history of Australian deserts has centred on the availability of different forms of water. The rivers, waterholes and wetlands of Australian deserts are of great significance to Aboriginal traditional and recent life, songs and stories, for early European explorers, the establishment of pastoralism, and in the foundation of Australia’s inland agriculture. In the natural world, reliable water sources are critical for the survival of refugia communities of plants and animals. This cultural heritage thematic study will complement previous Council studies into the natural geological and biodiversity values of Australian deserts.

 

The study has been commissioned by the Heritage Council to give a better understanding of the range, diversity and forms of cultural heritage places and areas in the Australian arid zone. The Heritage Council can use it in the future to guide them when they have to decide on places or areas to nominate for inclusion on the National List, however it will not determine what they decide. The next step in the process will be making formal nominations of particular places. Part of that process will involve detailed research and your members with an interest in the cultural heritage of the arid zone are further encouraged to have active input.

 

The people carrying out this study are Dr Ingereth Macfarlane and Ms Anne McConnell. They both have broad experience in Australian archaeology and history, both Indigenous and historic, and in assessing cultural heritage values. Dr Macfarlane has worked in the arid zone for many years, and has a great love for its stories and places and Ms McConnell specialises in heritage assessment and management. If you have information, local knowledge and expertise that you would like to contribute to the study, please contact us by email at ingereth@gmail.com .

 

(Source: Dr Ingereth Macfarlane and Ms Anne McConnell, Australian Heritage Council)

 

 

 

5) FAHS Merit Award presented to Dr Rosalie Triolo

 

Rosalie Triolo Merit Award

L to R: Dr Rosalie Triolo; Ms Catherine Andrews; Prof Don Garden; Hon Marilyn Warren, Chief Justice of the Victorian Supreme Court

 

On 8th April, Dr Rosalie Triolo was presented with her FAHS Merit Award. The FAHS merit awards are awarded as recognition of a meritorious contribution to the community history and heritage movement nationally and/or in more than one State or Territory and/or a contribution at State/Territory level, which has had national implications.

 

The presentation took place at the opening of the latest exhibition of the RHSV, ‘Judging for the People’, by the Victorian Governor. Catherine Andrews, RHSV Ambassador, made the presentation, and had developed a lovely speech based on the award citation.

 

(Source: FAHS, Professor Don Garden)

 

 

 

6) 75 Years of Ord Irrigation – History Forum, Kununurra, June 24th-26th

75_Years_of_Ord_Irrigation

75 years of Ord irrigation is being commemorated at Kununurra Historical Society with museum open days and events through April and May plus a History Forum in June.

 

It is 75 years since Kimberley Michael Durack, aged 24 years old, wrote and published, Developing the North - Proposed Research Station for the Kimberleys, on March 31st 1941. By the end of that year the first Research Station had been established at Carlton Reach, on the Ord River, close to the town of Kununurra today. Kim Durack's 1941 paper, the first to be placed as an online digital archive on the Kununurra History Society website is available at www.kununurra.org.au/khs-news/75yearsofordirrigation .

 

The 75 Years of Ord Irrigation - History Forum is to be held on 24th-26th June. Bookings at www.kununurra.org.au/events. The forum will be limited to 80 seats, with bookings to be received by mid April. 

 

Visit the Kununurra Historical Society website for more interesting history research on this and other topics, as well as links to over 2000 photographs online and the Kununurra Museum YouTube Channel - www.kununurra.org.au/khs-news/kununurramuseumyoutubechannel .

 

(Source: Kununurra Historical Society)

 

7) 2016 Victorian Museum Awards are now open

 

SLV_Facade

Photo: State Library Victoria facade (by Andrew Lloyd, courtesy State Library Victoria).

 

Nominations for the 2016 Victorian Museum Awards are now open.

 

The Awards recognise and celebrate individuals and organisations whose commitment and passion contribute to the excellence of the Victorian museum and gallery sector.

 

The nomination process is simple, free, and open to both members and non-members, so why not nominate? Nominations are invited in the following categories:

 

INDIVIDUALS

·         Museums Australia (Victoria) Award for Excellence (Volunteer)

·         Museums Australia (Victoria) Award for Excellence (Paid Staff)

Individual award winners receive a professional development pack valued at over $400.

 

ORGANISATIONS

·         Archival Survival Award for Volunteer-Run Museums (up to 1 EFT paid staff) Prize: archival supplies valued at $1,000

·         Archival Survival Award for Small Museums (2-7 paid staff) – Prize: archival supplies valued at $1,000

·         Museums Australia (Victoria) Award for Medium Museums (8-50 Paid Staff)

·         Museums Australia (Victoria) Award for Large Museums (51+ paid staff)

 

Guidelines and nomination forms at http://www.mavic.asn.au/awards

Nominations close Friday 13 May.

The 2016 Awards Ceremony will be held at the Library on Thursday 14 July.

 

(Source: Museums Australia (Victoria))

 

8) Regional courses by the Public Land Consultancy

 

The Public Land Consultancy are pleased to be delivering a series of half-day Regional Courses in Benalla; Ballarat; Bendigo; Geelong; Horsham; Mildura; Warrnambool; Warragul.

 

Two half-day courses will be presented back-to-back - one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Come along to one or join us for both (discounts apply).

 

As well as being essential training, all of these half-day courses will earn attendees points towards the Public Land Consultancy new Professional Certificates.

 

A full list of dates and locations and online calendar is available http://publicland.com.au/coming-courses

 

Cost: Half-day courses $330; Back-to-back half day courses $550; Full day courses $550 inclusive of GST, course notes and refreshments.

For registrations and enquiries, please contact Jacqui Talbot - jacqui@publicland.com.au or phone: (03) 9534 5128.

 

9) Oral History Queensland: ‘Interview with your iPad’

 

Learn to do oral history with your iPad at this workshop, hosted by the State Library of Queensland.

 

The facilitator will show participants how to record and maintain the good sound quality required for oral histories.

 

April 23-24th 1pm to 4pm.
State Library of Queensland

 

State Library of Queensland, Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia

 

Email: mailto:mulligan53@iinet.net.au for details and to register.

 

http://blhn.org/event/interview-with-your-ipad/

 

(Source: Brisbane’s Living Heritage Network)

 

10) Mark Tedeschi at the Dharug and Lower Hawksbury Historical Society: 27th May

 

Myall_Creek_Memorial_Site_Walkway_Plaque-1320-22435.jpgMyall_Creek_Massacre_Memorial_Inscription-1318-22435.jpg

Myall Creek Memorial Site Walkway Plaques

 

Mark Tedeschi, current NSW Crown Prosecutor is presenting at the Dharug and Lower Hawkesbury Historical Society on 27th May. Mark will talk on his research on the Myall Creek massacre, and in particular on the role that Attorney General John Plunkett played in prosecuting the trial of those responsible for the massacre, and Plunkett’s role in the formation of our modern day democratic institutions in New South Wales. Mark will also speak briefly on his latest book, Kidnapped concerning the Graham Thorn kidnapping case, and his book Eugenie.

 

The talk is at the Lower Hawkesbury Wesleyan Chapel, 6445 Wisemans Ferry Rd 
Gunderman. For further information: enquiries@dlhhs.org.au  .

 

(Source: Dharug and Lower Hawkesbury Historical Society Newsletter)

 

11) 'Living History' theatre production at World Heritage Great North Road

Convict footprints

Convict Footprints on the Old Great North Road is a unique 'living history' theatre production telling the stories of those who lived, and worked on the road in the 1830s. At times funny, heart-touching and moving, you will walk the road as guests of the Colony guided by Major Mitchell and Lieutenant Simpson. You will meet the overseer, witness convicts at work, hear stories about the hardships and see fascinating features of this amazing road, before ending up at the Convict Stockade where you will share tea and damper with the Convicts as they share some of their personal stories around the camp-fire.

 

Tickets are available online from
http://events.ticketbooth.com.au/events/16597 and also directly from Visit Central Coast, NSW Australia

 

12) Exhibition about Anne Frank at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum

 

Anne_frank_display400-400x267.jpg

‘Let Me Be Myself: The Story of Anne Frank’ exhibition co-ordinator Iet Fuijkscho at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum.

 

A girl who became an international symbol of the Holocaust is the subject of a new exhibition at Whiteside.

 

Let Me Be Myself tells the story of Anne Frank, from her birth in Frankfurt in 1929, to her death in a Nazi Concentration Camp at the age of 15. The Jewish girl went into hiding during World War II to escape the Nazis, who had occupied the Netherlands in 1940 and had begun the large-scale deportations of Jews. She kept a diary while her family hid in the annex of an Amsterdam office building for two years, before it was discovered and the eight people inside were taken to concentration camps.

 

Her writings were first published in 1947, with the English language version retitled as The Diary of a Young Girl. Since it was launched in Canberra last year, the Let Me Be Myself: The Story of Anne Frank exhibition has toured Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales and has reached its only Brisbane destination – Pine Rivers Heritage Museum.

 

Dutch-born exhibition co-ordinator Iet Fuijkschot said the display, which was compiled in Amsterdam by the Anne Frank Stichting, is aimed at teenagers and younger people. They (the Anne Frank Stichting) don’t want the younger generation to forget what happened in the war,’ she said. Ms Fuijkschot said while the tragedy of Anne Frank forms part of its global appeal as an important piece of history, her story was not widely known by young Dutch people until 30 years after her death.

 

‘My parents had their own memories of the war and it was more dominant than Anne Frank’s (story) and everyone had their own stories,’ she said. ‘Anne Frank wasn’t that famous in the 1950s and 1960s, especially not in Holland. ‘If you went to the Anne Frank House in the early-70s you could just walk in; now you have to stand in a queue and it’s a very long one.’

 

Let Me Be Myself: The Story of Anne Frank is at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum at Old Petrie Town, Dayboro Road, Whiteside until 22 May.

 

Admission is free.  For more information phone 3285 7213 or visit Pine Rivers. Museum: https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/pinerivers-museum/

 

(Source: http://www.thewesterner.com.au/?p=8600)