Funding for Hartley site

THE success of the inaugural Back to Hartley event in October was a sure sign the historic village’s revitalisation plans are moving along well.

With the $5100 raised from the celebration handed over to the designated three charities at the site on last week, Member for Calare Paul Toole kept the momentum going with an announcement of $452,000 of funding from the State Government to be spent on the second stage of plans.

While the Cancer Support Group Inc Lithgow and District, Lithgow Prostate Cancer Support Group and Lithgow Community Projects Incorporated were happy with their cheques, the Hartley Historic Site received a very healthy boost.

With the money, revitalisation works are planned to be done by the end of May next year.

Ref: Lithgow Mercury 28/12/12

Future Frameworks: Towards a Strategic Plan for the Visual Arts and Museum Sector in NSW 2011

The Future Frameworks: Towards a Strategic Plan for the Visual Arts and Museum Sector in NSW 2011 report has been released and makes for some interesting holiday reading for those of us engaged with the Museum and Gallery Sector. 

Ref: Geoff, Barker, Curator,

Total Asset Management Project
T +61 2 92170132 (Monday to Wednesday)
Online Producer, Collection Australia Network
T +61 2 92170347 (Thursday and Friday)

The 2009 review of Museums and Galleries NSW (M&G NSW) recommended the development of a strategic plan for the sector. Implementing this key recommendation, Arts NSW commissioned Professor Amanda Lawson to undertake strategic research, a needs analysis and external consultation to inform the planning process.
 
The research was underpinned by a set of principles that reflect current trends and best practice in museum and gallery management. These emphasise the significance of living collections and heritage, creative programming, community engagement, technology and the importance of multiple interpretations and perspectives coexisting and breathing life into collections.
 
The research methodology included a desk review of state, national and international trends, issues and best practice, commissioned research on information communication technology as well as an extensive consultation process with sector stakeholders (including the use of electronic and hardcopy survey, key interviews with sector experts, a dedicated strategic planning workshop).
 
The findings highlight the need to develop the strategic plan within a management framework that prioritises sustainability, cultural innovation, and community participation, especially in regional and remote NSW. Further, stakeholders consistently articulated a vision for the sector that would ‘inspire, engage and connect communities through arts, culture and heritage’.
  
Read full report click

Collection Documentation and Significance Assessment - New grant programs

This initiative is commencing in 2013 and will enable community museums and keeping places to bring in specialists to work with volunteers on documentation and or significance assessment of objects and collections. Core projects include identifying significant objects, writing significance statements, cataloguing objects, digitally photographing objects and entering collection information into a database. This is an Arts NSW devolved funding program, administered by M&G NSW.

Amount: Up to $7,500
Closing: Tuesday 29 January 2013
More:  www.mgnsw.org.au

 Ref: M&G NSW News 19 December 2012

Lithgow Museums’ Networking Group

The Lithgow area is a hidden gem of history and heritage. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy the history of one of the most fascinating areas in Australia through the many museums, historic sites and heritage organizations. From aboriginal history through to the history of the Small Arms Factory and from Hartley through to Glen Davis there are sites and museums to learn about aboriginal, convict, mining, social, railway and factory history.

In March 2012 a group of museum and heritage organization operators from the Lithgow LGA met at Eskbank House and Museum to have a chat about how they could help each other out. From this initial gathering the Lithgow Museums’ Networking Group was formed. The group meets monthly and our aims are: educating each other to improve the quality of our museums, networking to promote each other’s museums and share resources, co-operating to create a combined museum experience for visitors and sharing enthusiasm and to enjoy each other’s company as museum and heritage enthusiasts. It is exciting to be able to work together, take strength from each other and present a combined museums  experience to visitors and locals.

There are 12 organisations in the group, some able to attend regularly others coming when they can or contributing via email, etc. The groups include: Lithgow and District Family History Society (LDFHS), Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum (LSAFM), Simmo’s Museum, Eskbank House and Museum, Lithgow Library Learning Centre (LLLC), Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park, Lithgow State Mine Railway Ltd, Hartley Historical Village, Portland History Group, Rydal Village Association, Delta Expo and Newnes Pub. Each organisation takes turns hosting the meetings and this has been an invaluable part of getting to know each other’s museums and being able to share resources and promote other museums to visitors.

The group has participated in several group activities aimed at increasing visitor numbers to museums and generally get the word out that Lithgow’s Heritage is amazing and worth a visit. 

Our first activity was an Open Day for many of the museums in the group on International Museums Day 2012. International Museums Day is in May and is celebrated by over 30 000 museums throughout the world.  With a short time to organize and limited advertising most museums still saw an increase in visitation on the day of over 500 %. The group has more plans for International Museums Day 2013 and also celebrating other international days like Volunteers Day 2012 with an afternoon tea for the wonderful volunteers in all our organizations.

The next group activity was a combined stall at Daffodils at Rydal. Photos from the different organizations were displayed and pamphlets and postcards were handed out along with our first Lithgow Heritage Newsletter outlining heritage events happening in September and October in the region. The most rewarding part of the day was talking to people about the museums and history and hearing their stories of the area. Perhaps this is infact the most rewarding part of running a museum in general.

Our next event was another stall at the Back to Hartley Celebrations on Sunday 28 October 2012. This time we included a “What is it?” table with a variety of mysterious objects for people to ponder, a “Who is it?” display of historic photos of Lithgow Citizens with room for people to comment, displays from the museums and projected historical images of the Lithgow area. Of course the most interesting part of our stall was talking heritage and history and spending time with other museum enthusiasts.

Our Christmas party will be a well earned reward for all the hard work, much of it voluntary, that all the organization participants put in to operating their museums and preserving and presenting to the public the wonderful history that is Lithgow. 

Jan Saundercock

Lithgow and District Family History Society

Ref: M & G NSW blog

Heritage Volunteer Award to Molong

Marie Hammond,President, Des Sullivan, Vice President, and Andrew Gee MP with the award

Molong and District Historical Society Museum! has received a 2012 NSW Government Heritage Volunteer Award.

They were nominated for this award in recognition of their contribution towards heritage advocacy in their local area.

The NSW Government is grateful to those members of the community who have voluntarily given their time to protect and conserve our State's heritage.

The Society was presented with this award on Saturday 15th December at their Christmas Party. It was presented by Andrew Gee, Member for Orange.

Ref: Sue Milne

Coolah local and historian a ‘heritage hero’

Former Coolah Shire general manager and local historian Roy Cameron OAM has been recognised as one of 25 individuals and groups as a “heritage hero” through the 11th annual NSW Government Heritage Volunteer Awards.

Mr Cameron began as the Coolah shire clerk in 1957 and remained in that position until his retirement in 1990.
He still lives in Coolah and has written a number of history books including Around the Black Stump which sold more than 2200 copies on its release.

His book The Kookaburra March through Mendooran and Dunedoo was the first book ever written about this 1916 World War 1 recruiting march.

Mr Cameron is an active member in five historical societies including Coolah, Dubbo and Dunedoo, the Royal Australian Historical Society and the Lower Clarence society at McLean where he grew up.

Mr Cameron has been a contributor to 19 other local history books and is also a contributor to the Mudgee Guardian’s history column. 

The Hill End Arts Council also received a Heritage Heroes award in the Built Heritage Category for members’ work in conserving and reusing the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the group had revitalised an iconic building which was highly valued in the Hill End Community. 

“From approaching stakeholders and seeking funding assistance to project managing restoration works and sympathetic additions, the volunteers at the Hill End Arts Council have ensured the ongoing public use of this former church for art and music exhibitions and concerts,” Mr Toole said.  
  
“This group of enthusiastic volunteers painstakingly cleaned the church interior, secured and oiled ceiling lining boards, and repaired windows,” he said.

Ref: Mudgee Guardian 15 Dec 2012

Central Tablelands Chapter MA Newsletter November2012

 Tablelands Chapter MA Newsletter November2012

Complied by John Broadley and Elaine Kaldy

                           
Attached with this newsletter: are the minutes of the last Chapter meeting, held at Lucknow on the day of the recent Fabric Conservation workshop (Saturday 6th October 2012). Chapter members able to attend on the day enjoyed an excellent and informative session. Thanks to Kay Söderlund for imparting her knowledge and to Elaine Kaldy for arranging the workshop and to Museums and Galleries for providing the Grant to cover the costs of the presenter.

Vice President Jackie Ervine, President Elaine Kaldy and Kay Soderlund discussing the fabric workshop.


Photograph J Broadley







New executive members
The Chapter now has a new President (Elaine Kaldy) and Vice-President (Jacki Irvine), both from Millthorpe. Thanks to these two for stepping into these positions.

Read more . . .

ICOMOS-Capturing Environmental Objectives Workshop

  
Held:    20th November 2012
Venue:  The Theatrette, NSW Parliament House

Research Report Summary Presentation
The Independent Survey on the A New Planning System for NSW - Green Paper  by Jo Manion and Marketinfo was presented to the group to provide a context for the discussion.
To view/download the full report - click

Expert Panel Discussion and Work Group Discussion
Comprehensive notes have been prepared by Jo Manion. To view/download notes - click

Pot Luck with History -RAHS event

Ref: RAHS E-News, 29 November 2012

Better Planning Network - Workshop

Better Planning Network
      Media Release

PO Box 989
Lane Cove NSW 1595
Email: betterplanningnetwork@gmail.com
Website: betterplanningnetwork.good.do
                   An affiliation of more than 100 community groups
 ________________________________________

Workshop Calls for More Community Rights in Planning

Better Planning Network participants in a workshop with senior officers of the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure have called for the community to have mandated rights to participate in and challenge planning and/or development decisions.

“This was a positive and productive workshop,” said Corinne Fisher of the Better Planning Network. “The Departmental staff undertook to present a summary of the issues raised to the Minister so that he is aware of community views before the White Paper is finalised. On the other hand, there is no commitment to implement our suggestions.”

Better Planning Network representatives were adamant that Ecologically Sustainable Development should be the driving factor and prime objective of the new Act. They also argued that State Planning objectives should include conservation of biodiversity, protection of prime agricultural land, heritage protection and promotion of community wellbeing.

“These issues are fundamental to good planning,” said Ms Fisher. “They must go hand in hand with open, transparent and accountable decision-making at all levels of planning and development. All decisions should be open to scrutiny and should be accompanied by written explanations of how and why they were made.”

Participants also pointed out that if the community is to participate meaningfully in the strategic planning phase, as the government has claimed, there must be sufficient resources and time to enable genuine and meaningful dialogue. This will require professional facilitators.

Among the points raised at the workshop were:

  • There must be no direct employment relationship between developers and private certifiers

 • The system should encourage a collaborative relationship between developers and community for code-assessable projects

• Community members must have the right to comment on site-specific and local development
issues including building design, overshadowing and social amenity

• The community must have the same rights to challenge planning/development decisions as those
granted to developers.

For more information contact:      Corinne Fisher 0421 831 889

19th November 2012

national museum australia - Museum Workshop

Museum Workshop now showing in Canberra

From 25 October 2012 to 28 January 2013. Free. Temporary Exhibition Gallery.

Enter the Museum Workshop: The Art, Science and Craft of the Conservator exhibition and immerse yourself in the behind-the-scenes world of the conservation team, the people responsible for the physical care of objects in the National Museum of Australia's collection.

Visit the conservation laboratories

The Museum Workshop exhibition brings to life the National Museum's large technology, objects and paintings, and paper and textiles laboratories.

What's new?

Preparing a pram for display

Join conservator Andrew Pearce as he works on this eye-catching pram in the Museum Workshop exhibition.

Wignalls brand bamboo pram with cane and seagrass decorations.

The pram was made in Hobart by Wignalls. It's being prepared for display in the upcoming exhibition Glorious Days: Australia 1913, opening in March 2013.
The pram's body is made from timber and shaped bamboo, with cane and seagrass decoration and a green canvas hood.
This composite construction proposes an interesting challenge for conservators as they work with multiple materials.
Conservator Andrew Pearce will complete his work on the pram towards the end of this week.
More on the pram and the objects and paintings conservation lab

 

Experience more conservators in action

Talk with conservators about their work and take advantage of this special access to the world of a museum conservator. See conservators preparing photo albums and period costumes for our upcoming exhibition, Glorious Days: Australia 1913, opening in March 2013.
Watch the technology team working on the 1948 Daimler car used by Queen Elizabeth II during her 1954 tour of Australia. Discover how we treat cracks and splits in Aboriginal bark paintings and see conservators servicing the Museum's chronometer collection.
Check the workshop schedules to see when our conservators are in action

Explore some of the objects on show

Various objects from the National Museum's collection will be on show in the Museum Workshop exhibition. The great diversity of objects in the collection means it is rare that any two conservation treatments are identical.

Find out more about conservation at the Museum