Federation of Australian Historical Societies

FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETIES INC

e-BULLETIN No. 99 – 2 May 2012

Hon Editor, Dr Ruth S. Kerr

1) Australian Heritage Strategy - submissions called for

2) Obituaries Australia website

3) Derby - historic town and Schoolhouse Museum, north-east Tasmania

4) Heritage listing of Cockatoo Kindergarten in Victoria

5) First World War Centenary Partnership

6) British world history conference

7) Distribution of e-Bulletin

1) Australian Heritage Strategy - submissions called for

The Australian Government is seeking public input to help develop a new Australian Heritage Strategy for the identification, management and celebration of Australia’s heritage.

The new strategy will cover natural, Indigenous and historic heritage and set the direction for heritage policies and programs at all levels of government for the next 10 years.

Public consultation is planned to occur in the development of the strategy and the department is inviting comment from the community about how the national may recognise, manage and celebrate our heritage in the best ways possible.

The feedback received in response to the public consultation paper now available will help inform the development of the Australian Heritage Strategy.

For information on how to make a submission and to download the public consultation paper visit www.environment.gov.au/heritage/strategy/submissions.html

The Department has issued a media release on this topic : www.environment.gov.au/about/media/dept-mr/dept-mr20120419.html

For more information about the strategy : www.environment.gov.au/heritage/strategy/index.html

For information about how to make a submission : www.environment.gov.au/heritage/strategy/submissions.html

To read the public consultation paper: Australian Heritage Strategy public consultation paper (PDF - 546 KB) www.environment.gov.au/heritage/strategy/pubs/australian-heritage-strategy-consultation.pdf

To read the nine commissioned essays: www.environment.gov.au/heritage/strategy/documents.html. One of the essays, “Who are the players and what roles do they play?”, was written by FAHS President, Don Garden.

Submissions will be accepted up until 15 June 2012 by e-mail to: ausheritagestrategy@environment.gov.au or hardcopy.

For further information please call the Department on 1800 803 772.

(Source: AusHeritageStrategy@environment.gov.au – 19 April 2012)

2) Obituaries Australia website

Obituaries Australia is a digital repository of obituaries about Australians, and those who have made an impact on Australian history.

Only obituaries that are published in newspapers, journals, magazines and bulletins will be accepted.

Obituaries may be submitted online using the following web page: http://oa.anu.edu.au/submit-an-obituary/

(Source: http://oa.anu.edu.au/)

3) Derby - historic town and Schoolhouse Museum, north-east Tasmania

The town of Derby has a population of 280 today, compared to its peak population of about 3,000 in the late 19th century. Tin was discovered in 1874. The Krushka Brothers sold their Brothers Home Tin Mine to the Briseis Tin Mine Company in 1899. The history of Derby district tin mining is told in the Schoolhouse Museum (open daily but with reduced hours in winter). Fourteen people lost their lives when the Cascade Dam wall burst in 1929 (4.5 kms above the town) and flooded the lower town area.

Water was essential for sluicing and for the tin batteries. The Briseis water race was constructed to transport water from Ringarooma to Derby. The route was surveyed at a gradient of 1:1320 by Donald Fraser in April 1900. Construction of the 48 kms race commenced in January 1901 and the race was completed by 31 March 1902 at a cost of £60,000. It was designed to carry 100 sluice heads of water per hour (24 million gallons daily). Temporary sawmills were constructed along the route to supply timber for the transported the water across rivers and gullies. The water race was used up until the 1950s and part of it is still used to supply water to Branxholm. In 1999 sensitive clearing of the water race was begun by some Branxholm residents in order to preserve and promote the heritage values of the water race. Further improvements were made in 2004 in association with Forestry Tasmania. An Interpretation Project was funded by Tourism Tasmania’s 2005 Local Tourism Grants.

(Source: Personal visit by Australian Mining History Association members, Ruth Kerr and Nic Haygarth on 1 January 2012)

4) Heritage listing of Cockatoo Kindergarten in Victoria

The Victorian Heritage Council has awarded the McBride Street Kindergarten in Cockatoo with heritage listing to the Victoria Heritage Register after the appeal submission presented in February. Listed as a place with "historical and social significance", strongly meeting two of the criteria, A and G, the Kindergarten is said to be the first place to be recognised as socially significant as it relates to Victorian bushfire places of refuge, based on the Victorian Framework of Heritage Themes - “an outstanding representative example of places of refuge during natural disasters”. Furthermore, the Heritage Council has recommended that a typological study be commenced to research other similar places, as they relate to bushfire and flood disasters.

www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/heritage/victorian-heritage-register/registration/registration-appeals/decisions

The local Cardinia council was persuaded to put a heritage overlay on the site and that commenced last month. The nominating group will now pursue national significance and commence the restoration soon. They have applied for a national heritage grant.

This Kindergarten sheltered 300 people (120 children) during Ash Wednesday fires as they burned through Cockatoo on 16 February 1983. The township was one of the worst hit in Victoria with six dead and 300 buildings lost. As a highly unusual record of fact, its role is mentioned in the Australian Attorney General’s Natural Disaster Database under Bushfire - Ash Wednesday.

www.disasters.ema.gov.au/Browse%20Details/DisasterEventDetails.aspx?DisasterEventID=701

(Source: Mary Farrow, Emerald Community House - 14 April 2012)

5) First World War Centenary Partnership

$Description: C:\Users\Bill\Documents\Ethanol\RHSQ\First World War Centenary Partnership\FWW_Centenary__Led_By_IWM_Red.jpg$ The 2014-2018 Centenary of the First World War will be marked worldwide. The Imperial War Museum (London) is leading commemorations through management of a Partnership with National and International organisations that plan to commemorate the First World War Centenary, including museums; archives; libraries; universities and colleges; special interest groups and broadcasters, to produce a vibrant four-year programme of cultural activities.

Being a member of the Partnership gives each one of us a stronger collective voice, visibility through the Centenary logo, access to a wealth of expertise and resources and the opportunity to promote our events on the www.1914.org site. IWM has created an extranet site where you can discuss issues, make links with other members, share resources and become part of the Partnership Programme.

The Royal Historical Society of Queensland decided in February 2012 to join the First World War Centenary Partnership (the fourth Australian organisation to do) and is already in communications with museums and organisations in the UK, New Zealand and Australia sharing ideas for commemorations planned for the First World War Centenary Partnership. We would encourage other do also join the Partnership.

www.1914.org/partners/

(Source: Bill Elliott, Councillor, Royal Historical Society of Queensland – 26 April 2012)

6) British world history conference

The date of our call for papers for the British World Conference has been extended to May 25th.

It was advertised in the e-Bulletin below:

www.history.org.au/E-Bulletin_91#Article_6

(Source: Conference Organiser, Dr Marcus Harmes, University of Southern Queensland – 16 April 2012)

7) Distribution of e-Bulletin

If you know of other committee members or your historian colleagues whom you feel would be interested in reading the E-Bulletin please forward it.

(Source: FAHS Committee – April 2012)