Federation of Australian Historical Societies

FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETIES INC

e-BULLETIN No. 134 – 8 March 2015

Hon Editor, Dr Ruth S. Kerr

1) Re-opening of Port Arthur Penitentiary in Tasmania

2) Reuse of Glengarry Church north west of Launceston, Tasmania

3) Inaugural Dr Jim Kerr Memorial Address

4) Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies course at Deakin University

5) Death of Fellow of Federation of Australian Historical Societies

1) Re-opening of Port Arthur Penitentiary in Tasmania

Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment, performed the reopening ceremony for the Penitentiary at Port Arthur on 21 January 2015. He stated, ‘The Penitentiary building is of outstanding heritage value to both Australia and internationally, and serves as a stark reminder of the nation’s dark and tragic convict past.’ The Tasmanian and Commonwealth governments contributed $7 million of funding for the project. The building had been severely damaged in a storm three years ago.

(Source: Launceston Examiner 22 January 2015 p.7)

2) Reuse of Glengarry Church north west of Launceston, Tasmania

The historic timber Glengarry Presbyterian Church was purchased by international artist Pieter Zaadstra in September 2014. Extensive maintenance was done to bring the White Church Gallery to condition for reopening on 26 December 2014. The spiritual integrity of the church remains. Church pews have been used in the gallery. A church pew celebrating the centenary 1835-1935 was seen in the church on 31 December 2012.

(Source: The Examiner (Launceston) 27 December 2014 p.43 including two photographs; Personal visit to the locality on 31 December 2012)

3) Inaugural Dr Jim Kerr Memorial Address

SATURDAY, 18 APRIL 2015, SYDNEY
The Inaugural Dr Jim Kerr Memorial Address
on the International Day for Monuments & Sites
1.15pm for 1.45pm start, followed by the optional tour at 4pm

An Australia ICOMOS event in association with the Sydney Opera House; the Heritage Division NSW Office of Environment and Heritage; and the National Trust of Australia (NSW).

Jim Kerr’s gift was to articulate with great clarity how the care of special places might be achieved. He disseminated his ideas widely for discussion and tested them on real, culturally vital sites around Australia. He would then again update his policy document, the Conservation Plan. The annual Jim Kerr Memorial address pays respect to his legacy by perpetuating open enquiry into the understanding of place and the constant review of progress in conservation planning practice.

Date: 18 April 2015

Time: TALK – 1.15 for 1.45pm start, finishing at 4pm
Address: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney 2000.
Launch of the annual Jim Kerr Memorial Address by Dr Tamsin Kerr and others.
Memorial Address by Joan Domicelj AM

Tour – 4pm - Optional short tour of the Sydney Opera House; numbers limited, pre-booking necessary

The inaugural address will be a free event thanks to generous sponsorship. Light refreshments on arrival, please have lunch beforehand

Electronic Bookings Required - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-jim-kerr-inaugural-memorial-address-tickets-15737802190

(Source: Australia ICOMOS Email news No. 668 – 13 February 2015)

4) Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies course at Deakin University

Postgrad programs at Deakin – places still available for March start.

Deakin University is still accepting enrolments in our suite of Cultural Heritage and Museum studies programs for a Trimester 1 start in March.

The programs have been substantially revised for 2015 and include new units on Understanding Significance, Museums Heritage and Society, Leadership in Museum and Heritage Organisations, and Heritage, Development and Tourism in the Asia-Pacific.

The Master of Cultural Heritage also includes opportunities to gain professional experience through work placements.

Credit for prior learning towards your Deakin degree may be available for those with an undergraduate degree in a range of disciplines such as history, archaeology, human geography and sociology and/ or for those with extensive industry experience.

Details available at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/study-at-deakin/find-a-course/cultural-heritage-and-museum-studies

(Source: Australia ICOMOS E-News No. 670 – 27 February 2015)

5) Death of Fellow of Federation of Australian Historical Societies

Vale Dr Lionel Gilbert OAM, FFAHS: Australian History and Armidale will be so much poorer following the death of Lionel Gilbert, teacher, scholar, historian, botanist, author, raconteur, and Freeman of Armidale City. With his wry sense of humour, his ready wit, his prodigious knowledge and his meticulous recording of history, Lionel has been the author of many books and articles, given many talks, launched many functions and often given history a new twist. He became a member of the Historical Society in the early 1960s, was awarded Life Membership and became a Patron. The significant role he played in the formation of the Museums of Education in Kentucky Street and the Folk Museum, his writing of numerous books and gathering the enormous collection local historical papers and photographs comprising the Historical Resources Centre Collection (held now at the UNE Heritage Centre) has enriched the City’s heritage. The Commissioner and the Squatter, the last of his many published books, was written in 2009 to coincide with the celebration of naming of Armidale in 1839 by Commissioner Macdonald.
We aim to set up a display in the Armidale War Memorial Library as a tribute to Lionel.

(Source: Armidale Historical Society - Email to members – 10 February 2015)