Congratulations to all our supporters!
Due to your letters, email and petitions, Minister Frydenberg has found a
way to provide $80,000 to the Federation of Australian Historical
Societies and will be writing soon.
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It is not clear at this stage whether this
amount is provided for one year or continuous over three years. We will
keep you informed.
Hold off on the letters and emails until further updates
Follow us on our Facebook page for updates
https://www.facebook.com/FederationAHS
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Call for Papers: FAHS Newsletter
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Call for Papers for the June 2018 issue of the Federation of Australian Historical Societies’ Newsletter
Theme: Diversity
Submission Date: Monday 30th April 2018
Issue No. 45 of the FAHS newsletter recognises and celebrates diversity
within the community history sector. Historical Societies make a
specific contribution to this expression by working with, and as part
of, local community. At the same time there is a blossoming of cultural
expression among indigenous groups, LBTQI and a range of ethnic groups
representing diverse community and history. This has yet to extend to
being an integral part of local histories and community heritage.
The FAHS is seeking papers on new and traditional approaches to
collection practices, exhibition, research, public programs and events
that reflect diverse community and history. Papers are invited on
methods and representations of the local culture and areas of special
interest, whether these are geographically, cultural, or ethnically
based. These may include:
- Ways that organisations recognise and celebrate diversity and multiplicity
- Inclusive and focused historical interpretations/ interpretative activities
- Collection and interpretation of collections
- New practices involving a range of community expressions
- Variety of representations in studying Australian history and genealogy
Articles that relate more generally to matters of local history and community heritage are also welcome.
Articles are invited of up to 800 words, The FAHS newsletter is
distributed via our contact list, on the FAHS website and on ISSUU. The
last newsletter No. 44 on the theme of Collaboration and Participation
can be viewed here.
Please send expressions of interest to the editor Dr Bernadette Flynn, fahsbflynn@gmail.com
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Featured Historical Society - Kununurra Historical Society
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Kununurra Historical Society (KHS) is a volunteer not-for-profit running an archive, gallery, library and museum to showchase their research.
The society was inaugurated in 1986 and has been actively collecting the local regional history for over 30 years.
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The Kununurra Historical Society collects,
preserves and exhibits the region's history with a focus on the Ord
Irrigation Project, the Ord-Victoria Rivers region over and along the
NT-WA border (about 30kns away) and the Kimberley region in general. A
growing collection of objects from as old as 1,800 million years ago are
stored in a purpose-built archive and museum facility. Other items in
the collection are books, journals, manuscripts, newspapers and
pamphlets, as well as audio-visual collections . There are items of
local, state and national significance with other items of rarity not
listed in any other collection in Australia. Examples include the
Ray Hames 1943 diary and photographs and the 1st survey for what became
the National Development Ord River Project.
The
President, Andrew Barker has developed an impressive range of
digital exhibition outlets. When Andrew started in 2006 there was a
faulty PC and a few floppy discs in a cupboard. Since that
time he has developed comprehensive digital archives of around
3 Terrabytes, which are always a work in
progress and currently only available for researchers and
members to view at the museum. A grant from the Shire of
Wyndham East Kimberley and other donors in 2010 saw
over 2500 photographs digitised and documented by dedicated
KHS volunteers for A Photographic Journey on the Ord.
There have been many more digitised since then and others collected
online are screened on large monitors in the museum along with
projected date-sorted slideshows, now with over 17,000
images.
Because of the transient nature of Kununurra's population, the society
is actively seeking archival material in the way of
photographs, documents, books or other objects from past
residents. Items are currently accessible via the Kununurra Museum YouTube Channel, Twitter #KimberleyHistory, a Flickr site and Facebook page.
Over 2,500 photographs and documents have been uploaded to Flickr
with full metadata and then added to the Trove Picture Australia Group
on Flickr, which then makes them accessible on Trove. This level of
accessibility has enabled others to add valuable information to the
historical records, as demonstrated by the public responses on
many of the Flickr photographs.
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Images l to r: Kununurra Museum; images on Flickr: The Henry Hall
Operation Ord Noah Collection (1971-72) and Aboriginal kids at Kalumburu
Mission (1963, Mary Punchi Clement on the left).
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The valuable work undertaken by
the Kununurra Historical Society in collecting, documenting,
digitising, conserving and preserving the region's history has been
recognised by a Royal WA Historical Society award for
Historical Society of the Year (2016). KHS has around 125 members, most
being spread around Australia. About 20 members are local, with around
10 of these regularly attending monthly meetings.
Currently the work on the archive and opening the Kununurra Museum
is largely managed by the President, who opens the museum 5 days a
week at present and has a full time commitment to developing the
archives and managing the collections. The society is actively seeking
new members and volunteers to avoid a crisis situation, to assist in
keeping the museum open and to successfully continue its
operations.
In spite of these challenges the society is developing new research and
is currently preparing a new collection for Flickr, the Jim Gooderson
Collection. This collections shows photographs from a WA survey crew in
the Ord in 1961, and a tidal energy survey of the Kimberley coast
from Derby to Wyndham and the Cambridge Gulf in 1963. This is
accompanied by a paper on Tidal Power in the Kimberley by the
engineer/designer of the Ord River Diversion Dam, John Lewis.
Events for 2018 include the Wirraway Challenge Day at
the Kununurra Museum on March 20th to commemorate the
forced landing of RAAF 12 Squadron CAC Wirraway A20-62 on coastline near
the WA-NT border in 1942. Another event on Saturday May 5th is the
launch of Kununurra Museum's Remembering Them. This
project funded by Lottery West and organised by the WA Museum & the
Royal WA Historical Society details the return of Neal Durack from the
10th Light Horse in 1918 to survey and mark out the Mount Barnett to
Wyndham Stock Route, then as manager of Auvergne Station for Connor
Dohery & Durack, before drowning in the Ord River at Ivanhoe in
1920. The Wyndham Museum hold their Remembering Them opening on the following day.
Museum: 72 Coolibah Drive, Kununurra, Monday to Friday 12.30-5.30pm (dependent on season and volunteer availability).
web: http://www.kununurra.org.au
email: admin@kununurra.org.au
Phone: (08) 9169 3331
Sources: The Kununurra Historical Society website and interview with KHS President Andrew Barker
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In 2017 the collection of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria moved
to eHive with around 33,000 records from the collections uploaded,
including manuscripts, library, vertical file and Pioneer Register. At
present the the index of the Victorian Historical Journal is
being transferred. Migrating records from the old databases is a
gradual process, but the ultimate aim is for researchers to be able to
cover all collections with one search.
Cataloguing in the cloud means that every computer can be a cataloguing
computer and this has unlocked a great deal of processing power and
volunteer capacity. It has helped with two very large book donations
that came in last year allowing much more retrospective record
maintenance, including error corrections and consolidation of multi part
works into single records. The society has successfully attracted
volunteers with cataloguing skills because they can now be provided with
experience on an up to date system and can see their work on Trove, the
national database.
Records are able to be harvested to Trove easily and updates to records
appear on Trove within two days. Since this happened a steady
increase in the number of enquiries has been noted and a difference in
the nature of enquiries. A few enquiries asking 'Do you have anything
about … ?', are still received but now that more people have access to
the records on eHive enquiries are more precise – people are able to
identify particular items they’d like to review or have copied. This is a
great time saver for the society and for its users.
The RSHV website is undergoing a redevelopment at present, and part of
the plan includes using eHive as the ‘back end’ to a custom designed
advanced search screen as well as customised results display and
reports.
Source: Christine Worthington, Collections manager and volunteer coordinator, Royal Historical Society of Victoria
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FAHS Report - Making Collections Accessible
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The FAHS has developed a report on digital collections and access - Making Collection Accessible. Whether you are using paper based records or have a partner agreement with Trove, get help with making your collections more accessible and planning for digital futures.
The report discusses the stages involved in developing a collection –
from paper based catalogues to fully discoverable digital records and
offers advice on appropriate software.
Unlock the potential of your collection through increased digital presence, outreach and collaboration.
See the full report: http://www.history.org.au/Documents/MakingCollectionsAccessible.pdf
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History Documented by Brunswick Valley Historical Society, NSW
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New documentary series Mullumbimby’s Magic – the Culture of the 70s – 80s has been commissioned by Brunswick Valley Historical Society.
Mullumbimby’s Magic – the Culture of the 70s – 80s produced by Sharon Shostak preserves the region’s alternate culture stories. Series one Health & Wellbeing was released in November 2017, Activism & Politics is planned for 2018 and The Arts to follow.
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Brunswick Valley Historical Society have
also put their support behind the Nightcap Monuments Project along
with the Mullumbimby Museum and Southern Cross University.
The Nightcap Monuments Project is aiming to raise funds for some
permanent regional monuments to the historic environmental protests and
their environmental legacy. The project seeks to gather and
consolidate much of the fragmented historical information, surviving
images and data surrounding the historic protest period.
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A Pint of History, Hobart
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History
is full of drinking. Be it alcoholic or non-, made from fruit, grain,
spuds or sugar. In sorrow or celebration, glasses have been raised, from
battlefields to children's parties.
A Pint of History is continuing the tradition, bringing tales of old to a
pub near you. A different topic every month, with some of Hobart's
leading historians guiding you through the quirky, entertaining and
downright confusing of the past.
We meet at Shambles Brewery, where you'll find great pints, delicious
food and fascinating conversations. Come and grab a bite to eat, and
order a pint of history on the side!
Next event: A Pint of History - Nuts, Bolts and Burnouts
Thu. 19 April 2018 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm
Shambles Brewery, 222 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, TAS 7000
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Image: Rare survivor - a proof copy of the £1 note issued to meet an 1834 emergency
Dr Steve Errington will present a paper on Money troubles at Swan River 1829-37. In
this talk Steve looks at how the early settlers at the Swan River
Colony managed for money in their everyday transactions.
Where: Stirling House, Royal WA Historical Society
When: Wednesday 21 March at 6pm. Refreshments available from 5.30pm; Bookshop open until 6pm.
email: histwest@git.com.au
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Seminar, Women in History, Sydney
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RAHS/SAG Seminar
Women in History
April 11 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
$50 - $65
Join Carol Liston, Christine Yeats, Noeline Kyle and Joy Hughes as they
explore topics from women’s history and techniques for researching women
in history.
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The Royal Historical Society of Australia and the Society of Australian Genealogists are co-hosting the Women in History seminar
This seminar will be held at Richmond Villa, 120 Kent Street,
Sydney. Richmond Villa is at the northern end of Kent St near
the approaches to the Harbour Bridge. Wynyard Station (train and bus) is
a 10 minute walk and ferries are 15 minutes away at Circular Quay.
There is some metered street parking but public transport is
recommended.
For further information and to purchase tickets https://www.rahs.org.au/event/seminar-women-in-history
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Margaret Medcalf Award: Call for Nominations
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Submit a nomination for the Margaret Medcalf Award, WA
Since 2003, 16 researchers and historians, creating works on various
Western Australian subjects, have won the Margaret Medcalf Award.
Recognizing excellence in referencing and research using State Archives
held by the State Records Office of Western Australia (SRO), the award
honours Miss Margaret Medcalf OAM, Western Australia’s second State
Archivist, for her valuable contribution to the development of archives
in Western Australia.
Image: Miss Margaret Medcalf OAM, Western Australia’s second State Archivist
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Any work completed or published in 2017
is eligible to be submitted for nomination, and anyone, including the
author of the work, may submit a nomination. Unlike book awards,
nominated works need not be published, and may include student
dissertations and theses. They may be fiction or non-fiction, and be
presented in any media.
The winner receives a cash prize of $1000, or shares this prize if
there is more than one winner. Works nominated must demonstrate accurate
referencing and use of State archives.
For further details including more information about the judging criteria for the Award, see http://www.sro.wa.gov.au/events/margaret-medcalf-award or contact Gerard Foley at the SRO by email gerard.foley@sro.wa.gov.au or by phone on (08) 9427 3641.
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Funding for Maritime Heritage
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Credit: Sailing off Coal Point, c.1935. Photographer unknown. Image: Lake Macquarie Community Heritage Photography collection
Administered by the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme offers
funding to help not-for-profit organisations preserve and display
objects of national and historical maritime significance.
Grants of up to $15,000 are available for projects in several categories
which include collection management, conservation and presentation and
education and public programs.
The scheme also supports staff or volunteers from remote or regional
organisations learn specific skills to care for and manage maritime
collections.
Previous recipients include Busselton Historical Society, Richmond River Historical Society Inc. Echuca Historical Society, Paynesville Maritime Museum
Applications close 31 March 2018.
Further information: http://www.anmm.gov.au/Get-Involved/Grants-and-Awards/Funding-for-Maritime-Heritage
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Book Launch, Echuca Historical Society, Victoria
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Echuca Historical Society have published a new book Celebrating Echuca.
Celebrating Echuca is a compilation of photographs from the
society’s historical collection and photographs taken recently featuring
the town as seen by the locals.
From the paddlesteamers, to Hopwood’s obelisk, buildings and
streetscapes of interest to both locals and visitors, this is a coloured
pictorial record of Echuca, comprising 48 pages.
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Available at Echuca Historical
Society Museum, Port of Echuca Discovery Centre, Echuca
Paddlesteamers, Murray River Paddlesteamers, Collins Books, Echuca and
Read Heller Book Shop.
Cost $20 (plus $5 for postage via email order to eh.soc@bigpond.com)
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Family History Course, WA
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Western Australian Genealogical Society
Getting started with your family history
When: 07 Apr 2018 10:00am - 12:00pm
Where: WAGS Unit 4 - Bayswater
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This introductory course provides you with
all the information to get started, from how to access birth, death and
marriage records, to finding relevant records.
Includes instructions on how to record your findings along with some useful websites to further your research.
Free - Members, $10 - Non-members
Enquiries email activities@wags.org.au or phone 08 9271 4311 during library hours
http://membership.wags.org.au/event-calendar-mainmenu-33/details/1747-getting-started-with-your-family-history
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Oral History Workshop, SA/NT Branch
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The Oral History Association of Australia (SA/NT branch) are running an introductory oral history workshop on Tuesday 10 April.
- How to do an oral history interview.
- Learn how to plan and record professional interviews.
- Workshops
introduce participants to the practice and methods of doing an oral
history interview and provide equipment training on digital
recorders.
Date: Tuesday, 10 April 2018
Time: 10am – 3.30pm
Venue: Anne and Basil Hetzel lecture theatre,
Institute Building, State Library of South Australia, cnr Kintore Ave
and North Terrace, Adelaide.
Cost: $75 per person per day or $50 for concession*/pension/student/OHA member.
Bookings and further information
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Digital Access to Collections Workshop, Cairns
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You’re invited to the Cairns Digital Access to Collections Workshop!
Dates: Wednesday 2nd to Thursday 3rd May 2018
Time: 10am to 5pm each day
Location: Stratford Library Meeting Room, 11 Kamerunga Road, Stratford QLD 4870
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This two-day workshop gives attendees the
opportunity to participate in training focused on digitisation and the
provision of digital access of collections, Q&A’s with leading
technology providers and the chance to network with other GLAM
organisations.
Who should attend? Staff and volunteers from small- to
medium-sized non-metropolitan collecting organisations, including
galleries, libraries, archives, museums, indigenous keeping places,
sporting clubs, returned services clubs and historical societies.
The workshops will provide information, training and advice for
organisations on their way to providing digital access to their
collections.
Funding is available to organisations through grants that can support
participation at the workshop and/or assist with setting your
organisation up for digitising collections. More information about the
grants can be found at http://www.digitalcollections.org.au/workshops/grants
Register to attend here.
More information on the workshop here.
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Volunteer Museum Grant Program, NSW
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Museums & Galleries NSW are
accepting applications for three grants from the Volunteer
Museum Grant Program.
These grants provide assistance to volunteer community museums and Aboriginal Keeping Places in NSW
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The Volunteer Museum Grants are:
Small grants – up to $2,000 for short-term collection-based projects
Skills development grants – up to $4,000 for the development and delivery of skill development training and networking events
Leg up grants – matched funding of $50 – $500 for volunteers to attend or host development activities in NSW
Find out more at Museums & Galleries NSW
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Heritage Funding, Heritage Near Me, NSW
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A new round of grants under the NSW Government’s Heritage Near Me program is open
Three new funding opportunities
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The Heritage Near Me incentives program runs from 2016 to 2019. There is $16 million available in funding over the life of the program
The three grant stream opportunities are: Heritage Activation Grants,
Local Heritage Strategic Projects Grants and Heritage Green Energy
Grants.
Heritage Activation Grants: The Heritage Activation
Grants support projects that actively increase community interaction and
participation with local heritage. Items must be publicly accessible on
a regular basis.
The Local Heritage Grants assist in developing
community priorities for local heritage by providing support for
collaborative solutions through community-based projects and technical
expertise.
The Heritage Green Energy Grants support projects that
increase the energy efficiency of local heritage items while conserving
their heritage values. This funding program complements the OEH Energy
Saver program. All applicants must have completed a business audit or
training through the OEH Energy Efficient Business program. The Heritage
Green Energy Grant assists in implementing the measures identified in
the business audit or training.
Read the Heritage Near Me brochure
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State Library of Queensland 2018 Research Fellowships
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$100,000 to uncover Queensland's stories
State Library of Queensland is calling for applications for its annual
research fellowships, worth up to $20,000 each, which encourage new
perspectives on the state’s history.
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Applications are now open nationally for the
State Library of Queensland's 2018 research fellowships, with seven
research opportunities available worth up to $20,000 each.
The State Library invites applicants to imaginatively respond to
our unique collections and resources including manuscripts, maps, music,
newspapers, oral histories and rare printed material. Researchers and
creatives from all backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Researchers and content creators from all backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Applications close Wednesday 21 March.
Further information http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/awards/qmawards
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The FAHS e-Bulletin, No. 175,
17th March 2018
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