News for veterans heritage volunteers - March 2012

What's going on in the world of community history and heritage?

This page contains information about events and activities of interest to volunteers involved with veterans heritage collections in the community. Some listings are directly related to the history of Australia's involvement of war and others are of general interest.

Military History and Heritage Week

From 21 April to 27 April 2012 Victoria will host its first Military History and Heritage Week! Events include a screening of films from 1942 by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) 'Sport and War' tours which take in the National Sports Museum. Read more about Military History and Heritage Week.

Next Veterans Heritage Workshop

The Veterans Unit will be running another Veterans Heritage Workshop in Melbourne in May 2012. These workshops are for volunteers in RSLs, local historical societies and other heritage groups to learn more about preserving memorabilia, documents, photographs and other historical material. 

National Trust Heritage Festival

This year’s festival is titled ‘Innovation and Invention’ and will be held from 21 April - 20 May 2012. It includes events from all around Victoria, some of which focus on war-related heritage. Read more about the National Trust Heritage Festival.

National Library of Australia 2012 Community Heritage Grants

The Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program provides grants of up to $15,000 to community organisations such as museums, genealogical and historical societies, RSLs and war heritage groups. Grants assist with the preservation of locally owned, but nationally significant collections of materials that are publicly accessible including letters, diaries, maps, photographs, and objects. Read more about the Community Heritage Grants program.

Victorian Collections Training Workshops

Victorian Collections is a new free, easy to use, online cataloguing system that is available to collecting organisations throughout Victoria, including RSLs and military heritage groups. Over the coming months workshops for volunteers to learn this cataloguing system will be held across Victoria - in Melbourne, Sale, Bright, Port Fairy, Warrnambool, St Arnaud and Mt Helen. Read more about the Victorian Collections Training Workshops.

Who do you think you are?

The annual Shake Your Family Tree Day will be held at the Victorian Archives Centre on Saturday 31 March from 10am to 4pm. Special guest speaker Kirrilly Brentnall, researcher for popular SBS TV program 'Who Do You Think You Are?', will talk about how research is conducted for the show as well as providing tips for your own family research. Read more about Shake Your Family Tree Day.

Australian Heritage Week 2012

Australian Heritage Week is an annual national celebration of Australia's unique heritage. It is an opportunity for all Australians to join together to celebrate our shared and special heritage. All history/heritage groups are encouraged to be involved with planning and hosting a range of activities that showcase their work and collections. List your event on the Australian Heritage Week Calendar.

Museums Australia Exhibition Grants 2012

Museums Australia (Victoria) welcomes Victorian collecting organisations (including military history groups) to apply for grants relating to exhibition development, touring or infrastructure. Grants of up to $10,000 are available. A list of successful past applicants and grant guidelines and application form are now available online. Applications close Friday 13 April 2012. For further information contact Museums Australia (Victoria).

Victorian Veterans Virtual Museum

The Victorian Veterans Virtual Museum contains a number of new resources for veterans, students, historians and others with an interest in Australian war history. The Virtual Museum hosts the Victorian War Heritage Inventory and other important sources of information about war-related heritage in Victoria.

Victorian War Heritage Inventory

The Victorian War Heritage Inventory was developed in partnership with Heritage Victoria. It is a searchable online database containing information and images of places relating to Victoria’s war history including war memorials, avenues of honour, places of commemoration and former defence sites. Users can search for places according to keyword, postcode, region, type of heritage, or conflict commemorated.

War-related heritage in Victoria: a report

War-related heritage in Victoria was commissioned by DCPD and gives an overview of the extent and nature of war-related heritage in the state such as memorials, commemorative buildings, honour rolls and memorabilia. The report estimates the number of war memorials and other sites, and explores the preservation of moveable heritage through a series of case studies involving collections in RSLs, local historical societies and community museums.

World War One unit histories

In partnership with the State Library of Victoria the Veterans Unit has digitised many of Victoria's World War One unit (battalion) histories. A number of these books were originally published in the 1920s and are now rare. This important online library can be read from any computer with access to the web.

'In our words' veterans' digital stories

The Victorian Veterans Virtual Museum hosts the 'In our words' digital stories recorded with Victorian veterans over the past two years. They include personal accounts of war and repatriation by World War Two, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans which make compelling viewing. This project is still underway in partnership with the Shrine of Remembrance and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI).

Just Digitise It! Digitisation Workshops

The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is delivering digitisation workshops for community groups managing historical collections. Topics covered include planning for digitisation, creating digital content, describing digital content, editing digital content, publishing digital content. Bookings are essential and can be made through PROV. For this and other training opportunities see the training page on the PROV website.

Military History and Heritage Victoria conference 2012

Military History and Heritage Victoria Inc is holding a conference on 21-22 April 2012 called ‘In the Shadow of War’. It will be held in Melbourne’s CBD. The event commemorates the 70th Anniversary year of 1942 and will throw light on to the controversies, threats and shadow of war over Australia at that time. Papers will be presented by eminent local and international speakers on a number of themes. Registrations are now open.

Talks & lectures

The Shrine of Remembrance offers regular lectures to the public. Hear more from historians, authors and film makers on a variety of subjects related to Australia's experiences of war. Download audio recordings of lectures given at the National Archives of Australia on a variety of subjects related to Australian history.

Exhibitions

The Shrine of Remembrance has a number of exhibitions throughout the year which shed light on aspects of Australia's war history and heritage. Some of the Shrine's exhibitions are also currently touring Victoria:

• Indigenous Australians at war from the Boer War to the present.
• History of the Shrine ... a building with a soul
  

Walks and tours

The National Trust (Victoria) runs a number of events and activities for history buffs including cemetery walks, exhibitions and walking tours.

Take a behind the scenes tour of the Public Record Office Victoria and learn how to conduct your research. Tours depart 1pm sharp every Friday (excluding public holidays) unless otherwise specified. Groups by appointment. Bookings are essential: 9348 5600 or ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au

Royal Historical Society Newsletter

The Royal Historical Society Newsletter contains news about the community history sector and a great ‘What’s on’ section. Did you know that RSLs and military history groups are eligible to become members of the Royal Historical Society?

Saluting Their Service Commemorations Grants Program

The Saluting Their Service commemorations grants program supports projects and activities which directly commemorate Australia’s servicemen and women who served in wars, conflicts and peace operations. The grants also promote appreciation and understanding of the role those who have served have played in shaping the nation.

How do I look after fragile material?

The first principle of conservation is if in doubt, consult a professional conservator. However preventive care, such as correct storage and handling, is something that we can all do. For more information about caring for fragile and damaged material see:

• Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM)
• ReCollections: Caring for Collections Across Australia.

Go to the Victorian Veterans Virtual Museum.

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