• SA History Network News

Workshopping About Time in Loxton

January 19, 2012

The topic under discussion in the Loxton Waikerie Council Chamber on Monday 16 January was About Time: South Australia’s History Festival.   People representing a diverse group of previous and potential event organisers came along to talk about the festival and hear what Mandy Paul, Karen Blackwood and Pauline Cockrill from History SA had to say […]

Keep reading

Celebrations at Strathalbyn Museum

December 15, 2011

Saturday December 3rd saw Strathalbyn’s Police Station & Old Courthouse Museum change its name to the Strathalbyn and District Heritage Centre. Museum volunteers gathered in the Centre’s beautiful old courtyard for an evening that combined a celebration of the new name with the branch’s annual Christmas party. National Trust of South Australia President David Beaumont, […]

Keep reading

Wool, frocks and history in the South-East

December 7, 2011

I went with Mandy Paul, History SA Senior Curator, on a speedy fieldtrip to the South-East this week.  We went to the Sheep’s Back Museum in Naracoorte, the Millicent National Trust Museum and Beachport National Trust Museum. Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet and catch-up with us, it is greatly appreciated. […]

Keep reading

Minister Hill makes history matter

December 6, 2011

The Minister for the Arts, the Hon John Hill, has just announced the successful applicants of History SA’s two annual grant programs for 2011-12. The $35,000 South Australian History Fund will assist 18 organisations and individuals from across the State. It is an opportunity for the State government to support the growing numbers of enthusiastic […]

Keep reading

A Breath of Fresh Eyre: day 3

November 30, 2011

Today was a day to take in some more of the community history around Port Lincoln before heading home this evening. First up I headed for the local RSL whose salmon pink club rooms have a large and varied collection of war memorabilia on display which include some unique souvenirs such as a small rock […]

Keep reading

A Breath of Fresh Eyre: day 2

November 29, 2011

Day Two on my Eyre Peninsula field trip. This morning I left both Tumby Bay and the bitumen and wound my way gingerly inland on an unsealed road to Koppio.  The landscape was dramatic – the deep blue rain-filled sky contrasted with the biscuit coloured hills and every so often there were flashes of green […]

Keep reading

Back from the Museums Australia Conference

November 28, 2011

Earlier in November I attended the Museums Australia National Conference in Perth. I gave a paper about the South Australian Community History Website and caught up with lots of interstate colleagues about community museum matters. The conference was in conjunction with interpretation Australia, so there were lots of interpretation focused sessions to go to and […]

Keep reading

A Breath of Fresh Eyre: day 1

November 28, 2011

Today I took the ‘red eye’ from Adelaide to Whyalla and headed south by hire car avoiding both emus and giant grain trucks that indicate it’s harvest time on the Eyre Peninsula. Over the next three days, I’m visiting as many community museums as I can over here to photograph and help members write up […]

Keep reading

Celebrations for Swan Reach Museum

November 26, 2011

I was looking forward to visiting Swan Reach Museum this week – and not just because you get to take the car across the Murray on the ferry or even because there was the promise of birthday cake to celebrate their 10th anniversary!  This would be my first visit to the museum since joining History […]

Keep reading

Weighbridge Display Launched at Stansbury Museum

November 21, 2011

Stansbury Museum’s new Weighbridge display was officially opened on Friday 18 November by Steven Griffiths, Local Member for Goyder before a large gathering of locals and others from further afield within the Yorke Peninsula. Also in attendance were Martin Hamilton-Smith, Member for Waite and his young son Thomas.  Mr Hamilton Smith’s family has had long […]

Keep reading

Unley Museum’s Silver Anniversary

November 9, 2011

This week I attended the silver anniversary celebrations for the museum along with a large group of museum volunteers, councillors, friends of the museum and former curators.  After drinks and finger food Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne, spoke about the commitment of council to maintaining the museum, and Anne Milne, president of the Friends of the […]

Keep reading

Uncovering Gems at Crystal Brook

October 21, 2011

I headed north last week through the just-budding vineyards of the Clare Valley and towards the Port Pirie smelters to spend some time at one of the 61 registered museums in our program, the Crystal Brook Heritage Centre.  Located in the centre of this small country town, close to the Big Goanna, this National Trust […]

Keep reading

A Polish Picnic

October 14, 2011

At the beginning of October I was invited to a very special picnic. Since 1974 the Polish Hill River Church Museum has been holding an annual picnic but this year it was in honour of the 140th anniversary of their church – and the 175th anniversary of the founding of South Australia. After a 2 […]

Keep reading

Up in the sky at the Aviation Museum

October 9, 2011

I took my two year old son Cameron to the Aviation Museum which was open for free during the Port Festival 8 to 9 October.  What a great, lively family atmosphere!  Heaps of kids and Mums and Dads milling about, going up the steps into the big plane and the Vietnam helicopter.  Cameron had a […]

Keep reading

NOW Making Music in Magill

October 7, 2011

Last week when I drove to the Magill campus of the University of South Australia to attend part of the Narratives of War (NOW) two-day symposium, I wasn’t expecting music. This biennial seminar program is a showcase for the NOW Group’s research based at UniSA’s School of Communication, International Studies and Languages. Headed by Professor […]

Keep reading

Fun on the Goldfields

October 5, 2011

On the last Sunday in September the Barossa Goldfields Historical Society holds their annual open day. Encouraged by their flyer which promised endless Billy tea and damper I set the GPS for Goldfields Road, Cockatoo Valley and hit the road. An hour or so later, a hand written sandwich board on the side of the […]

Keep reading

New Displays at Penneshaw Museum

September 14, 2011

The Penneshaw Maritime and Folk Museum have undertaken a complete overhaul of the displays in the museum’s main exhibition space.  Completed in the last couple of months, the new displays were professionally designed and have been put together largely by volunteer members of the museum.  Apart from writing the stories for the display, choosing objects […]

Keep reading

Buandik display bridges the gap

September 1, 2011

A major new display at Beachport Old Wool and Grain Store Museum fills a gap in the telling of the history of Beachport and the surrounding district. The display ‘One Land, Two Cultures’ is the culmination of intensive research and consultation conducted over five years by Beachport Museum volunteer Marcia Lorenz. The museum aims to […]

Keep reading

Collections MOSAiC software training workshops in Adelaide

August 18, 2011

Training workshops for users of Collection MOSAiC Plus, the collections management software for small museums, were held over 5 days at the end of July in the RSL Memorial Hall, Torrens Parade Ground, Adelaide. The sessions were run by MOSAiC’s Perth-based supplier, Rew and Sally-Anne Whittington from ISTechnology and over 15 participants attended each day from […]

Keep reading

Stories of Italian market gardeners

August 12, 2011

Today I visited the Findon Community Centre to see the exhibition From the Veneto to Frogmore and Findon Roads: stories of Italian market gardeners 1920s -1970s which was launched last weekend. It’s a great example of a community coming together to create, display and share their history – simply but professionally done. Consisting of an […]

Keep reading

State History Conference brings out new perspectives

August 11, 2011

This special State History Conference to mark 175 years since the official foundation of the Province of South Australia was held over three days, from 5 to 7 August, at the National Wine Centre, Adelaide, in conjunction with the inaugural national Australian Council of Professional Historians Association conference. A total of 224 delegates attended, and […]

Keep reading

Oral History Association Launches Website

July 11, 2011

At the OHAA SA/NT Branch AGM two years ago it was agreed to put recorded interviews on the branch’s website to celebrate the SA175th anniversary. Coincidentally this year is the 100th anniversary of the NT so the project helps to celebrate both occasions. As oral history is about ‘the voice’ the SA/NT branch felt it […]

Keep reading

Moonta’s Medical History on Display

June 22, 2011

The Moonta Medical display features countless implements used by Moonta doctors at various times in the district’s history as well as an extensive collection of medicine bottles and containers with labels attesting to a range of weird and wonderful remedies for a host of ailments.  The display was partly funded through the SA175 grant fund, […]

Keep reading

Visits to Whyalla and Melrose museums

June 16, 2011

Amanda and Pauline have recently returned from a fieldtrip to Whyalla and Melrose, visiting the Mount Laura Homestead Museum at Whyalla, the Whyalla Maritime Museum and the Melrose Courthouse Heritage Centre. On the way into town we stopped past the Whyalla Maritime Museum to catch-up with Paul the manager/curator and see the art exhibition he […]

Keep reading

Swan Reach Museum opens new displays

June 15, 2011

Swan Reach Museum has just completed the second stage of major display redevelopments. Focused around local community themes, the displays have completely revitalised the display spaces.  The district’s history is now more easily accessible, both in terms of getting around the displays and in their content. The new displays are allowing the museum to clearly […]

Keep reading

Announcing the opening of History SA’s annual grant rounds

June 3, 2011

The South Australian History Fund (SAHF) and Community Museums Program (CMP) grant funds are now open! These funds provide a rare source of financial support for history and museum projects. A diverse range of organisations and individuals have received grants from these funds over many years. For the first time this year you can apply online or you […]

Keep reading

In perspective: rethinking South Australia’s History – 20th State History Conference

June 2, 2011

To be held from 5-7 August 2011 at the National Wine Centre, Adelaide, In perspective: rethinking South Australia’s history will be a special State History conference to mark 175 years since the official foundation of the Province of South Australia. Join us for a rich conference program with speakers from a broad range of disciplines. […]

Keep reading

What’s new at Pinnaroo Museum

June 2, 2011

A new display about Florence Casson, a nurse in WWII who perished with the sinking of the vessel Vyner Brooke in 1942, is a great addition to the Mallee Women displays at the museum. Florence spent some of her nursing career in Pinnaroo and her story effectively links local with international history. The museum commissioned […]

Keep reading

Adelaide Colonial Ball

May 27, 2011

To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the Province of South Australia the Adelaide Colonial Dancers and the Adelaide Traditional and Bush Dance Society have organised a Grand Colonial Ball at the Adelaide Town Hall on 25th June. It has been made possible through a History SA SA175 grant as well as generous […]

Keep reading

SA 175 Events

April 28, 2011

A host of community organisations are holding events over the next few months to acknowledge the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the Province of South Australia. SA 175 events are listed on the calendar of events on this site. Events listed so far include a performance about writer CJ Dennis, lectures on South Australian history […]

Keep reading

‘Ahov’ (Hello) from Hindmarsh

April 28, 2011

I have always been fascinated by traditional festivals from around the world so it was a great pleasure to visit the Ukrainian Museum’s Easter Bazaar a few weekends ago in the backstreets of Hindmarsh. The museum was a hive of activity when I arrived at what appeared to be Kiev Central that Sunday morning. Amidst Ukrainian chatter, women […]

Keep reading

It’s About Time to discover South Australia’s history

April 27, 2011

In 2011 SA History Week has become About Time: South Australia’s History Festival. Over 500 events will be presented across the state from 1 to 31 May, organised by over 300 community museums, history groups, cultural groups, local councils, collecting institutions, businesses, churches and individuals. The move to a month-long festival format reflects the ongoing […]

Keep reading