Rushworth Historical Society’s Peter Reade, keynote speaker Euan McGillivray, Shepparton Historical Society executive officer Kristy Rudd and Rushworth Historical Society's Lyn Reade.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Euan McGillivray knows a thing or two about the past, but he also knows what history needs in the future.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The museum and cultural heritage professional delivered a workshop on archive collection and significance assessment at the Shepparton Heritage Centre’s History Hub on December 15.
Bendigo Historical Society president Euan McGillivray was the keynote speaker for the two sessions at the Shepparton Heritage Centre workshop and networking event.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Mr McGillivray, who retired to Bendigo a few years ago after more than 30 years of working in Melbourne museums and libraries, including Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum, Scienceworks and the State Library Victoria, also has a passion for regional collections.
“I’m pretty certain the emergence of women’s history was in the small collections in regional places,” Mr McGillivray said.
“Many big museums didn’t have social history collections.”
Murchison Historical Society researcher Drew Poynton and Shepparton’s Bernie Squires.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Most of the 25-plus guests in the crowd were museum or historical group volunteers from neighbouring areas, including Rushworth, Tallygaroopna, Merrigum and Murchison.
Shepparton Heritage Centre executive officer Kristy Rudd said it was an opportunity to look at community history together and engage with each other.
Murchison Historical Society curator Talayah Brown, Tallygaroopna Historical Society treasurer Lyn Hoffman and secretary Bev Moss.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“Years ago museums were competing for patronage, but now it’s about working together to preserve that heritage,” Mrs Rudd said.
“So many stories and areas of history overlap.”
Shepparton Heritage Centre’s Craig Ellis, Kristy Rudd, Don Kilgour and Peter Ryan.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
The workshop gave participants an opportunity to explore the importance of identifying, managing and interpreting significant collections within their organisations.
After breaking for a lunch catered by the Karramomus CWA, an afternoon session focused on how groups could embed themselves in their communities.
“It’s an uphill battle otherwise,” Mr McGillivray said.
“You want the local community to embrace and appreciate what’s in their community collections.
“Community collection custodians are so important. You’re only a custodian for a certain period of time before the next custodian takes over.
“You want that history to carry over accurately.”
Participants had a break for a lunch catered by the Karramomus CWA.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Mr McGillivray said he believed giving volunteers roles specific to their interests was key to attracting younger people to historical societies.
With things moving online, technological advancements in scanning and photographing, and the ability to work from home cataloguing items provided opportunities for different areas of strength that the younger generation possesses.
“It’s not all sitting at a desk for a few hours taking entry fees from visitors, there are many more roles,” Mr McGillivray said.
27°C