History and identity - News and events

Events | Featured projects | Call for entries | Announcements

Events

Out of the vaults—Antarctica treasures - Sydney

1 April 2010

Rarely seen and evocative items from the Mitchell Library's fabulous Antarctic collection will be on view, including: the compass found on Robert Falcon Scott's body; the logbook of Douglas Mawson's ship Aurora; and beautiful illustrations of the far south from the publication of scientific voyages. With curator Stephen Martin, author (A history of Antarctica and Penguin) and expert in Antarctic history, who has travelled many times to Antarctica as a tourist, sailor and tour guide.  State Library of New South Wales.

30th National Trust (NSW) Heritage Festival - New South Wales

9–24 April 2010

The National Trust (NSW) Heritage Festival is one of the largest and longest running community festivals in NSW. 2010 will mark the 200th anniversary of Governor Lachlan Macquarie's 12 year tenure as the 5th Governor of the colony of New South Wales, and so the state-wide celebration of Australia's most 'transforming' Governor is the theme which links events. 2010 will see a variety of over 400 community-hosted events, and, as the host, the National Trust will bring together community groups, schools, the business community and local government.

Outback and Beyond: the future of historic towns, industrial heritage and pastoralism - Broken Hill, New South Wales

22–25 April 2010

Outback and Beyond is the annual Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) conference in Broken Hill. The conference program embraces three big themes related to the nineteenth and twentieth century occupation of Broken Hill: Historic towns—establishing, maintaining and sustaining an urban centre despite the environment and prevailing economic circumstances; Industrial heritage—extracting vast wealth from the land and associated environmental consequences; and Remote pastoralism—the struggle to tame a difficult environment for economic gain. Broken Hill Entertainment Centre.

Ironfest - Lithgow, New South Wales

24–26 April 2010

Ironfest describes itself as an arts festival with a metal edge. The festival features art exhibitions, stalls, live music, dance, street performance, historical re-enactments, (including St George's Day Jousting and a Napoleonic battle re-enactment entitled 'The Battle of Lithgow' featuring infantry, cannons and cavalry), blacksmithing demonstrations, workshops, busking competitions, automotive displays, educational, historical and technological displays and more.

Australian National Maritime Museum, Endeavour replica 2010 program - Sydney

April 2010

The Australian-built replica of James Cook's HMB Endeavour is one of the world's most accurate maritime reproductions. the ship provides a glimpse of a sailor's life during one of history's great maritime adventures, Captain Cook's epic 1768–71 world voyage. The sailing program includes overnight sails where guest speakers will give a special presentation on Cook's voyage before everyone bunks down for the night in the 18th century mess deck hammocks. The overnight trips are individually themed to reflect a different aspect of Cook's voyage of discovery in 1768-71. Darling Harbour.

George Lambert: Gallipoli and Palestine landscapes - Geraldton

5 March – 2 May 2010

This exhibition traces George Lambert's work through his first journey to Palestine and the Sinai in 1918 and includes paintings he completed during the Australian Historical Mission to Gallipoli in 1919. In just over 18 months, Lambert produced 99 small panel paintings and hundreds of drawings and sketches of Gallipoli and Palestine. A blog was developed to discuss the exhibition. Australian War Memorial travelling exhibition. Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.

Of Love and War: love and longing on display - Canberra

4 December 2009 – 5 May 2010

The Australian War Memorial's new special exhibition explores the relationships forged during times of conflict, and emotions evoked by at separation, loss and reunion, from the First World War onwards. It features mementoes of lovers, such as letters, gifts of jewellery, and photographs of weddings, farewells and reunions. There are wedding dresses worn by war brides, posters of pin-up girls that had been stuck on tents or in mess halls to stem the loneliness of war, and works of art by Penleigh Boyd and Peter Churcher on love and war as a theme. Location: Australian War Memorial.

Max Dupain on Assignment - Cairns, Queensland

5 March – 16 May 2010

Max Dupain on Assignment features striking images of rural and urban Australia, architecture, industry and culture from the 1940s to the 1970s. Many have never been on public display. Cairns Regional Gallery.

Palais - The Romance of the Dance - Geelong, Victoria

13 February – 23 May 2010

Palais - The Romance of the Dance celebrates the history of Geelong's historic Joy Ark and Palais Royal. Known as 'the birthplace of a thousand romances', generations of Geelong people met on the Palais dance floor. This exhibition highlights the many different eras of the Palais, from the 1930s, when women wore long evening gowns and men dressed in dinner suits, through the big band era of the late 1940s, to the swinging 60s. National Wool Museum.

Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman - Canberra

11 December 2009 – 30 May 2010

Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman provides a glimpse into the life of the man who promoted his country's interests on the international stage for more than half a century. A decorated war hero, Bruce served as Australia's eighth prime minister from 1923 to 1929. An online display allows Bruce's personal collection to be explored in 3D. National Archives of Australia.

A is for Animals Exhibition - Geelong, Victoria

19 February – 6 June 2010

A is for Animals is an exhibition about the animals that have worked alongside Australians in war for over one hundred years. It presents the stories of horses, donkeys, camels, dogs and other creatures used by the military forces from the Boer War to the present day. This exhibition, on loan from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, explores a range of themes relating to animals in times of war. It has been developed with a young audience in mind, but visitors of all ages will enjoy its fascinating and moving stories. In conjunction with A is for Animals, an education program for school students is available. National Wool Museum.

One hundred - Sydney

9 March – 16 June 2010

To celebrate the Mitchell Library's centenary in March 2010, the exhibition ONE hundred reaches down into the riches of the Library's internationally renowned collection and presents just one hundred items which tell, in their unique and surprising way, some aspect of the Australian and Pacific story. Founded on the personal collection of wealthy Sydney book collector, David Scott Mitchell, who also provided a sizeable endowment, the library has been actively collecting for a century. State Library of New South Wales.

UnAustralian: Reimaging National Identity - Brisbane

9 February – 4 July 2010

Since the late 1990s the term 'un-Australian' has been used freely, and has appeared everywhere from front bench politics to the sporting arena. But the term implies that there are fundamental characteristics shared across our society that bind us as Australians regardless of our diversity, and to be un-Australian is to challenge this. Utilising works drawn from the QUT Art Collection, UnAustralian: Reimaging National Identity reflects on the role that art plays in confirming and challenging ideas of national identity. QUT Art Museum.

2010 Islands of History Conference - Norfolk Island

18–25 July 2010

The Islands of History Conference will be on the eve of the World Heritage Convention's decision on including 12 Australian convict sites on the World Heritage List, including Kingston and Arthurs Vale on Norfolk Island. Lectures will be presented on: writing convict history, South Pacific maritime history, history for heritage, Polynesian migration, South Pacific history, Pacific missions, heritage tourism and issues and practice of public history. There will be time to talk about professional issues with a mentor, and time to network with other historians. The conference will include site visits, island orientation and free time to explore the diverse heritage of Norfolk Island. It Includes presentations and workshops, tours of the cemeteries, Kingston and Arthur Vale Heritage Area and others.

Up the Cross: Rennie Ellis & Wesley Stacey - Sydney

20 February – 8 August 2010

It was the 'summer of love' and Kings Cross was as much a magnet for long-haired pilgrims and avant-garde artists as it was for American servicemen on leave from Vietnam. Photographers Rennie Ellis and Wesley Stacey spent time in 'the Cross' over the summer of 1970–71. Together they captured the sights, sounds and pulsating rhythms of life on the streets and in the clubs and private pads of Sydney's infamous red-light district. Museum of Sydney.

New Treasures - Brisbane

13 March – 15 August 2010

The diversity of the State Library of Queensland's collections are showcased in the New Treasures exhibition with more that 40 recent acquisitions on display. Exhibition items range from rare 17th century maps; The Curse and its Cure, a futuristic novel set in Brisbane and published in 1894; and an exquisite Odd Fellows medallion which is one of the earliest examples of colonial silversmithing. The items on display have been selected from over 100,000 acquisitions which were added to the collections in 2008 and 2009. State Library of Queensland.

Frock stars: inside Australian Fashion Week - Sydney

22 April – 29 August 2010

Frock stars: inside Australian Fashion Week unveils the history, highlights, controversies and achievements of an event that has challenged and changed perceptions of the Australian fashion industry. Celebrating 15 years of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, visitors can explore what happens backstage at one of the most 'talked about' Australian fashion events of the year. Powerhouse Museum.

Home is where the heart is - Adelaide

24 February – 1 October 2010

The 1950s and '60s were busy years of immigration to Australia. New immigrants had to re-invent their homes here both as physical places and as places of the mind and heart. These were the years of the White Australia policy and so most came from the British Isles. For the first time there were also large numbers of Europeans - particularly Italian, Dutch, Greek, German, Yugoslavian and Maltese people. The Home is where the heart is exhibition invites you to look over the fence and come inside. South Australian Migration Museum.

Featured projects

Ann Curthoys and Ann McGrath, How to Write History that People Want to Read

January 2010

This practical book, drawn from decades of experience, is an indispensable guide to writing history. Aimed at all kinds of people who write history—academic historians, public historians, professional historians, family historians and students of all levels, How to Write History that People Want to Read includes a wide range of examples from many genres and styles. It advises writers on how much research is necessary, how to manage notes and files, when you should start writing, whether to use the first person and whether to structure your work chronologically or thematically. UNSW Press.

Call for entries

Country Viewpoint - national

Ongoing

Country Viewpoint is a site for anyone who lives outside our capital cities, or perhaps has a connection to rural or regional Australia, who wants to share an experience, place or idea that is close to their hearts. Country Viewpoint has been airing on ABC Radio National's Bush Telegraph program for almost a decade, but has now expanded to the greater community via the internet. Country Viewpoint invites the expressions of views about anything funny, serious, topical or trivial in your backyard.

Announcements

Gallipoli: The First Day by ABC Innovation winner at AIMIA Awards

5 March 2010

Gallipoli: The First Day by ABC Innovation is the Best Cultural or Lifestyle Winner at the 16th AMIA Awards. Creative Developers were: Harvey Broadbent (Consultant Historian, Macquarie University) and Roberto Salvatore (Sound design and composition).  Technical Developers were Plastic Wax Party Ltd (3D character modelling). The Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA), Australia's peak industry body for digital and interactive content, honoured the 25 winners of its 16th Annual AIMIA Awards in Melbourne.

This company of brave men: the Gallipoli VCs touring exhibition

25 February 2010

The Australian War Memorial's collection of Victoria Cross medals from Gallipoli will tour the nation for the first time to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the landing. Announcing the tour, Minister for Veterans' Affairs Alan Griffin said it was a valuable opportunity for more Australians to see Anzacs' Victoria Cross medals. The nine Victoria Crosses will travel to Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Seven of the nine Victoria Crosses awarded at Gallipoli were for bravery during the battle of Lone Pine, on 6–7 August, 1915. A total of 97 Australians have received the Victoria Cross.

South Australian Museum: South Australian Biodiversity Gallery - Adelaide

12 February 2010

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and the South Australian Museum has just opened its new South Australian Biodiversity Gallery. The gallery tells the unique story of South Australia's precious wildlife in four distinct environmental regions: arid, temperate, coastal and marine. Children will find secrets hidden under rocks and plants which can only be spied on their hands and knees. Adults will find a wealth of information that looks at the biology and ecology that underpins biodiversity. They can stare into the eyes of a cuttlefish and get within one metre of a dingo.

Key online resources

• Australian History (Project Gutenberg of Australia)
• Australian Literary and Historical Texts Online
• Mitchell Library Online
• Digital Resource Finder - educational videos
• Convict Creations

Collection resources

• Australian War Memorial
• Australian National Maritime Museum
• Documenting a Democracy: Australia's Story
• Collections Australia Network
• Collections Council of Australia
• Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
• Picture Australia
• Picture Queensland
• George Raper Collection
• Significance 2.0

Institutions and government organisations

• Australia's Heritage
• Australian Cultural History research links
• History Council of NSW
• History Council of Victoria
• History Council of South Australia
• History Council of Western Australia

Peak bodies and associations

• The History Teachers' Association of Australia
• Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites)
• Museums Australia
• Museums & Galleries NSW
• Federation of Australian Historical Societies

People

• Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
• The Dictionary of Australian Biography (Project Gutenberg of Australia)
• South Land to New Holland
• Joie de vivre!
• Ben Hall
• The Macarthurs and the Merino sheep
• Ned Kelly
• Charles 'Moth' Eaton

Featured websites/projects

• eGold: Electronic Encyclopedia of Gold in Australia
• Despatches from Gallipoli - Scenes from a Remote War
• Gallipoli: The First Day (ABC)
• Treasures of the State Library of Victoria
• South Seas: Voyaging and cross-cultural encounters in the Pacific (1760-1800)
• Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me?
• Now and Then