Gastronomy in the Museum: interpretation and programming through food

Hello Museum people.
 

I have been asked to give you notice of the following workshops.

Kind regards Elaine Kaldy President Central table lands Chapter of Museums Australia

Gastronomy in the Museum: interpretation and programming through food

24 October 2014

The Master Class is aimed at anyone working in museums.

Jacqui Newling, resident gastronome and assistant Interpretation curator from Sydney Living Museums is presenting a Museums’ Master class, Jacqui runs SLM’s Colonial gastronomy public programs, Jacqui is working with Villages of the Heart program with Orange Council and Central NSW Museums.

In this full day interactive program, participants will learn to develop interpretation concepts from their museums’ food-related collections and local community heritage, themes and stories. The master class has a strong focus on audience development and advocacy through activating the museum experience through visitor engagement, education and public programming.

Bookings are available through museum@orange.nsw.gov.au or Alison Russell on 63938170 by 7 October 2014 and are essential. Cost is $30.00.

Further information: http://www.centralnswmuseums.com.au/wp/2014/09/01/gastronomy-in-the- museum-interpretation-and-programming-through-food/ or email arussell@orange.nsw.gov.au

VIM Grants: Participants can make an application for a Leg Up Grant. Two participants are eligible to attend on the one application. Go to the M&G NSW website for more information or phone Margot on toll free number 1800114311

Please note The Australian National Field Days and Wine Week are held on this date, if you are having trouble with accommodation, please contact Alison.

These other training programme is in the planning stages
Mosaic Collection Management Database Training in Wagga Wagga, 10-11 February 2015

Do you have Mosaic installed at your museum, but are unsure how to use it? Have you had Mosaic training in the past, but have now forgotten the basics?

I’m thinking of holding two Mosaic training courses, both catering for beginners, on 10 & 11 February next year.
Each course will accommodate a maximum of 12 people.

I’d like to see if there is any interest out there for this training – and whether we need to hold two courses.

To help me get an idea of numbers, could you let me know if you’d be interested please? Rachael Vincent Regional Museum office Museum of the Riverina Phone 6126926 Mobile 0405773770 email Vincent Rachael@wagga.nsw.gov.au

 Save the date

The Gordon Darling Foundation and Museums Australia are happy to announce the dates for the next Museum Leadership Program to be held in 2015. Professor Jeanne Liedtka OAM will return as the MLP 

Program Director.

Museum Leadership Program 

4 - 9 October 2015

Register your interest in the program by emailing Lee Scott, Museums Australia National Office, at:

ma@museumsaustralia.org.au

Further information will be available on the MA website and announced in 

MA e-Bulletins as it comes to hand.

The Central Tablelands Chapter of museums Australia will be holding a workshop on Museum Security on the 14 March 2015 hosted by7 the Kandos historical Society further information contact the Co-ordinator Elaine Kaldy at hazelgrove@sharpdsl.com

WIRADJURI DISCOVERY TOUR

CONDUCTING SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENTS

Dr Roslyn Russell - Photograph courtesy: Dr Roslyn Russell

There will be something for everyone at the upcoming Conducting Significance Assessments Workshop, which is being held on 6 November 2014 at History House. This is an all-day workshop (10.00am – 3.30pm) and lunch is included in the $60.00 fee. It is being held in collaboration with the Professional Historians Association and the Australian Society of Archivists (NSW Branch).

We are most fortunate that historian and curator Dr Roslyn Russell who co-authored, with Kylie Winkworth, Significance 2.0: A guide to assessing the significance of collections (2009), the accepted methodology for significance assessment in Australia, will be presenting this workshop. Dr Russell has undertaken significance assessments of social history and visual arts collections and conducts workshops around Australia and overseas.

For historians and archivists wanting to develop new skills for their professional development this will be an opportunity to learn about significance assessment methodology and criteria and their applications in collection management. At the end of the day they will be ready to write a statement of significance for either a single object or an entire collection.

For the more experienced who have carried out significance assessments in the past, this will be an opportunity to hone your skills and contribute to the discussion.

If you are a member of an historical society planning to engage a consultant to undertake a Significance Assessment you will also find this workshop very helpful. You will receive lots of useful advice on the steps you will need to take in preparing for the assessment as well as the same guidance as the likely cost estimate and the format of the Significance Assessment report that you can expect to receive from the consultant.

The Wolgan Valley Railway

Shay locomotive on the Wolgan Valley railway

 

The Wolgan Valley Railway 

Shortly after his retirement from the NSW Department of Public Works Deane was engaged as a consultant by the Commonwealth Oil Company to manage the design and construction of a private railway in the NSW Wolgan Valley to provide access to their shale oil works at Newnes. 

     The railway is approximately 50 km long, linking with the western line of the NSW Railways at Clarence Junction in the Blue Mountains. It mainly follows the course of the valley hemmed in by precipitous cliffs. Deane concluded that it was inevitable that the railway would require 5 chain curves and 1 in 25 grades. Two short tunnels would be required. The volume of freight to be handled would be around 1,000 tons per day, which with the heavy grades, ruled out a narrow gauge line as being in- adequate for the task. 

     The choice of locomotives was an important issue. No locomotives in Australia at the time would be suitable for regular use on the line. Deane found that there were several designs of locomotive in service in Europe and North America that could meet the requirements. His preference was for the American Shay locomotive which had several desirable features: it had great hauling power, because the whole of its weight, both engine and tender, were available for adhesion; unlike conventional locomotives it was geared, so a very even turning force was applied of the wheels and it was able to start easily on the ruling grade; it had a very short rigid wheel base which enabled it to traverse very sharp curves; the length of the boiler tubes was very short, a little over 3 m, so the difference of the water in the boiler level in the boiler on steep grade was not serious. Its only disadvantage was that to avoid excessive vibration, speed must be limited to around 25km per hour. The Shay locomotive was a unique design with three cylinders vertically mounted beside the boiler, which was offset from the centre line of the locomotive. An articulated shaft and gears transmitted the power to all the wheels on the locomotive and tender. 

     The conference of engineers-in-chief that Deane chaired in 1903 met in Melbourne, and was requested in March of that year by the Common- wealth Minister for Home Affairs to review a large amount of information that had been accumulated about the proposed Trans Australia railway. Deane as chairman was to formally report its findings and recommenda- tions. Dean submitted his final report in July advising the Minister that the line should be standard gauge and follow a route from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta via Tarcoola. It could be constructed in three to four years at a cost of just over £5 million, and by the tenth year turn an annual profit of £18,000 on a revenue of £400,000.

 

Shay locomotive on the Wolgan Valley railway

     Four of these locomotives were imported for operating on the line. For most of its operating life there was one train per day with a load of 400 tons, double headed over the steepest part of the line. It left Newnes at 8.30 am and retuned at 4.30 pm. This one train carried both freight and passengers. For a brief period in 1909 there were two trains per day.

     Most of the railway was laid with second hand 75 lb double headed rails purchased from NSW Railways and the remainder of the line was laid with rather lighter second hand flat bottomed rails from Tasmanian Railways. 

     The railway opened in 1907. There were serious delays in commissioning the works at Newnes, and initially the products carried on the line were not oil produsts refined at Newnes but metallurgical coke and shale for retorting elsewhere. The first refined oil was despatched in 1911. These operations were not profitable and the works closed in 1913, with train service reduced to one train per week. Various efforts were made over the years to achieve profitable operations at Newnes, but none was successful. The railway was abandoned before World War II. The rails were taken up during the war and sent to Tobruk.

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HERITAGE September-October 2014

Food for thought ................... Editor’s note
 
Carpe diem - literally speaking - “seize the day”! Take every opportunity, and don’t put all your trust in tomorrow.

Do we really realise how lucky we are in the opportunities that avail us to experience history today? Everywhere we turn, there are community groups and individuals offering experiences through seminars, collections, tours and publications about our past.

Family history groups and historical societies, museums individuals and tourist organisations abound throughout the country, where dedicated members “work” to collect, store and disseminate information about where we came from, how we reached these shores and how Australia developed from a simple colony to the nation we know today. I say “work” because to them it is often not work but a labour of love.

With the passing of John Leary OAM, it would seem timely to look back and see where we of BMACHO have come from in fostering these opportunities. BMACHO commenced in 2006 with the aim to foster and support cultural heritage activities related to the Blue Mountains. To revisit the Objects of the Constitution: 

 1. To raise public consciousness of the value of cultural heritage.

2. To encourage and assist the cultural heritage activities of member organisations. 3. To initiate and support cultural heritage activities not already covered by member organisations.

BMACHO seeks to take every opportunity to bring together many groups to share information and promote culture and heritage throughout the greater Blue Mountains area and beyond. In light of this the most current initiative is our Heritage Trail project. Our diverse membership uniquely blends the skills and resources of historical, cultural and heritage groups, major tourist attractions, gardens and galleries. We need to promote our collective skills and assets to the widest possible audience.

BMACHO is taking up the challenge and is producing a high quality Heritage Trail leaflet and trail map for distribution through Visitors’ Centres, historical societies, family history societies and museums, with contribution from BMACHO members. In addition, a dedicated website which presents the map and detailed contacts, for all BMACHO members, is also envisaged, in due course.

The Heritage Trail would incorporate open days for BMACHO member groups perhaps quarterly, proceeding along the Great Western Highway from Emu Plains to Lithgow, and up the Bells Line of Road from the Hawkesbury to Lithgow. If visitors can see the premises open on the Common Open Days, they can plan a trail that is comfortable for them to travel in a day.

Not every member group has premises, but those without may be able to use a hall or library to facilitate visitors. Even if a member is not able to participate in the Common Open Days, they can list their opening hours on the leaflet.

Funding is to be generated through corporate sponsorship and through participant’s participation fees. The launch of the project should be later in early 2015.

In the meantime, BMACHO will continue to collect and share information and events through this Newsletter. News items are always welcome, from the smallest note to articles in the order of 1500 words. Photographs will always help to illustrate the story and should be sent as separate files. Please direct any items to the editor pmoppett@gmail.com or to the secretary jkoperberg@bigpond.com

Patsy Moppett
Heritage Newsletter Editor
Blue Mountains Association of Cultural & Heritage Organisations Inc

*****

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Recognising 50 years since the closure of the Lithgow State Coal Mine

MEDIA RELEASE

Recognising 50 years since the closure of the Lithgow State Coal Mine

On 13 October 1964 the Downcast Shaft of the Lithgow State Coal Mine was sealed permanently. This marked the end of an enterprise that had operated since the dark years of the Great War.

The mine site is significant as it was the first government coal mine opened in New South Wales in the 20th century and it also has an important place in industrial relations history of the Australian coalfields.

To recognise 50 years since the closure of the mine the City of Greater Lithgow Mining Museum Inc is hosting an informal luncheon in the State Mine Bath House from 11:30am on Saturday 18 October 2014.

Guests of honour will include Paul Toole, MLA for Bathurst and Minster for Local Government, Maree Statham, Mayor of Lithgow and Wayne McAndrew, General Vice-President, CFMEU Mining and Energy Division.

We invite former State Mine workers and their families to attend. Entry will be by donation. If you wish to attend please notify us through our facebook page: Lithgow State Mine Museum or by contacting the museum on 6353 1513.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Yours faithfully

Ray Christison
President
The City of Greater Lithgow Mining Museum Inc
10 September 2014

Sydmouth Valley House visit

SYDMOUTH VALLEY HOMESTEAD

The Homestead was built in 1826 by Robert Lowe in the Sydmouth Valley through which William Cox constructed his road to Bathurst. Robert Lowe received the grant of 2,000 acres of land and the service of 20 convicts by Governor Macquarie in recognition of his services as a magistrate for the Bathurst district.

Ann Webb purchased the property in 1871 for her youngest son, Thomas Bernard Webb, and the Webb family descendants have continued to occupy the property ever since.

The Lithgow & District Family History Society Inc has arranged for the current owners Kevin Webb and Lynne Woods to conduct a tour of inspection of the handmade brick homestead and the old world cottage garden on Saturday 11 October 2014, be followed by Devonshire Morning tea.

The tour group will meet at the Tarana Hotel at 9 a.m. and following the tour there is an option to return to the Tarana Hotel for lunch, at your own expense.

The cost of the tour and morning tea is $15 which must be paid before 5 October 2014 at Lithgow & District Family History Society Inc, Ewen Smith Memorial Hall, Cnr Tank & Donald Streets, Lithgow during the Resource Centre opening hours or by post to The Secretary, PO Box 516, Lithgow.

Regional services program for 2015

Regional services program for 2015

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Bathurst 2015 Celebrations & BATHEX Exhibition

FROM THE NEWSLETTER EDITOR

This is the first of a series of e-newsletters to be produced in a series that will promote Bathurst’s upcoming 200th Anniversary, the BATHEX 2015 Bicentenary Collectables, Gem and Mineral Exhibition - Bathurst Remembers 200 Years of History and other various functions and exciting activities which will take place throughout next year.

BATHEX stands for ‘Bathurst Exhibition’ which has been going in Bathurst every two or three years since 1988. It follows somewhat along the lines of the historic Bathurst Juvenile Industrial Exhibition which ran from 2nd to the 9th November, 1881, some 134 years ago next year.

This e-newsletter is to assist in promoting BATHEX 200 and other events taking place during the year- long celebrations next year as Bathurst marks its 200th birthday.

 Read more

Hartley Walks and Exhibition

Report on CTC of MA workshop 16 Aug 2014

Central Tablelands Chapter N.S.W of Museums Australia

A very successful workshop on Aboriginal protocols for Museums was held by the Central Tablelands Chapter of Museums Australia on Saturday 16th of August at the Golden Memories Museum in Millthorpe and was hosted by the Millthorpe and District Historical Society.

The leading Presenter was Phil Gordon the Aboriginal Heritage Project Officer Anthropology Research at the Australian Museum in Sydney.

Phil Gordon preparing the Power Point Presentation before the workshop began


Phil presentation covered the many issues facing museums on how to display, store and handle Aboriginal objects that museum’s may have in their collections.




The workshop also focused on Developing a Community Practice: Museums and Reconciliation in Australia from the book Museums, Society, Inequality by Lynda Kelly and Phil Gordon.

Museum’s Australia’s Aboriginal Protocols Titled “Continuous Cultures, Ongoing Responsibilities was made available to members
 
This document is on the Principles and Guidelines for Australian Museums working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage.
 
A copy of this document is available on the Museum’s Australia wed site or by contacting Elaine Kaldy at hazelgrove@sharpdsl.com.


In support of the Workshop a committee of 7 People from The Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council attended the workshop. This Committee was lead by Neil Ingram whom performed a touching Welcome to Country ceremony.

Left to right front row John Gerard and Doug Sutherland. Back row Greg Ingram Terry McLean Uncle Pat Neil Ingram, members of Orange Local Aborigine Land Council
Phil Gordon, Aboriginal Heritage Project Officer Anthropology Research at the Australian Museum in Sydney. Elaine Kaldy President of Central Tablelands Chapter of Museums Australia and Brain Turnbull from the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council

After lunch an inspection and a talk was given by Elaine Kaldy about the Golden Memories Museum’s Display WIRADIJURI DREAMING and the Museum’s collection of Aboriginal objects.

This was followed by a presentation of the Dabee project which is being funded by the Department of Heritage and Conservation and Moolarben mine.

Presenters were Lyne Syme and Colin Jones Project managers.

This display is planned as a travelling exhibition so that local schools and Museums can host this exhibition that relate to the early Aboriginal occupation and history of Dabee Wiradijuri people’s.
 
For details of the touring display contact Colin Jones on the following link oldcuriosityshopmud@bigpond.com