IMAGinE awards - Individual achievements

Nominations closed last week for the 2012 IMAGinE awards. Museums & Galleries NSW are pleased to announce that we have received the most nominations to date. We are glad so many of you want to celebrate your museum, gallery or keeping place's achievements with us.

Each fortnight we will be introducing you to the nominees and their exciting stories. 

CATEGORY 4: INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT - VOLUNTEERS

Trevor William Dean, Curator
Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown 

Trevor is a founding member of the Australian Aviation Museum and has been involved with other aviation museums and groups affiliated with Museums Australia, giving recognition to those who keep Australia’s history of aviation alive.

Trevor has worked on many mutually beneficial partnerships with the Air Training Corp cadets, TAFE students, volunteers and with the Work for the Dole program.

To keep to museum best practice, Trevor has travelled at his own expense to study aviation museums in the UK, USA and NZ.

To obtain funds for the Museum, Trevor approached the famous Australian flying boat pilot, Captain Bryan Monkton and assisted with writing his memoirs. After the Captain sadly became ill, Trevor carried out his wishes and published the book.

Trevor Pascoe, Former President
Millthorpe & District Historical Society
Golden Memories Museum 



Trevor led the Golden Memories Museum to become the leading volunteer museum in the Central West. This included the development of the Museum’s Strategic Plan.

Trevor was passionate about the social history collection and sharing it with the community. He initiated open days to create awareness of Millthorpe’s history.

Trevor made considerable effort to recognise the outstanding achievements of volunteers.

He encouraged and assisted members with grant applications, the most recent being for the production of the Strategic Plan. He liaised with Blayney Shire Council to gain interest free loans for developing infrastructure, in particular the extensions to the Rural Technology Building.

Unfortunately, Trevor passed away earlier this year but he will be remembered for this dedication to the Museum.

Peter Feitz 
Uralla Historical Society 
McCrossin’s Mill 



Peter first became involved with the Society by serendipity. In 1986 the Society received a grant to employ a builder for restorations. Peter was employed and with volunteers, mischievously called “monkeys”, they slaved away every Sunday until the money ran out and they could no longer pay ‘Feitzy’.

“So what?” he retorted. “You blokes all work here for nothing, so that’s what I’ll be doing too, as of next Sunday!”

As a highly skilled builder, Peter has become a teacher, displaying extraordinary patience. Without exception the volunteers have come away from working bees knowing they achieved something and have learned new skills along the way. This also includes people who have been given Community Service Orders.

Kevin Jewell, Volunteer Researcher
Gerringong and District Historical Society 



Kevin has donated time on two valuable projects. The first Gerringong Then and Now has involved gathering over 800 historical photographs and returning to the location for a ‘now’ shot. By speaking to many about the project he is creating interest in local history.

The second project involves meticulously researched history articles in the local magazine. Kevin only publishes information he can verify with primary research. His articles are engaging and have contributed significantly to local historical knowledge. The editor reports most community feedback is about Kevin's articles.

One resident commented, “I suspect people who wouldn't dream of reading a history book, find the articles most accessible."

Kevin's approach to research is an inspiration to the Gerringong Historical Society. 

Ken Smith, Past President and Secretary
Parramatta & District Historical Society
Hambledon Cottage House Museum 



Ken is seen as the catalyst for positive change. Members ask "what is the next improvement he is planning". He leads by example and trains other volunteers to take over duties.

Projects include implementing planning and budgeting, introducing collection database InMagic, seeking grants for training, writing policies and procedures, finalising a Conservation Management Plan which led to a State Heritage Register listing.

He has participated in working groups involving council and other museums. Ken’s been on the M&G NSW Volunteer Reference Committee and a Standards Program reviewer. He assisted the Royal Australian Historical Society to prepare a Strategic Plan and budget.

Ken has engaged schools in museum activities, resulting in an annual History Day with some 230 students involved.

Jennifer Colless, Volunteer Member
Walgett District Historical Society
Walgett Historical Society Museum 



Since retiring 8 years ago Jennifer has channelled considerable energy into the Walgett Society.

Jennifer fundraises through raffles and tour guiding. She promptly replies to community requests for information and photographs.

As the ‘go to’ person for family trees, Jennifer developed a Family Tree Starter Kit which was launched at the 2012 Walgett Community Festival where the supporting display won Champion Exhibit. Jennifer was there distributing kits and assisting people with their family trees. The Kit is important as it encourages locals to document their history creating a rich resource for the future. Jennifer also archives historical information. Although time consuming, she want to provide a good service to the community and leave a valuable resource for future generations. 

Daphne Salt
Sutherland Shire Historical Society & Museum

Daphne is an invaluable member of the Society. Daphne is generous with her time in detailing, recording and transmitting material for the Museum.

Daphne has spent 590 hours digitising all copies of our journal which commenced in 1966. Using the Society and her own personal collection of photographs she has produced a series of tablemats which were an excellent fund raiser.

Daphne is constantly available to answer questions from members and the public. She engages the community with presentations to various groups. Daphne has also produced many books on the history of the Shire. Always approachable and full of ideas, Daphne is the cornerstone of the Society.

CATEGORY 4: INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT - PAID STAFF

Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Director
Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia



 “I was very fortunate to fall in love with contemporary art at university and I have spent a career trying to share that passion with a wider audience.” Elizabeth Ann Macgregor

Through her ability to focus on expanding the accessibility and understanding of contemporary art, Liz Ann has changed the perception of the MCA from an elitist, inaccessible institution to an engaging success.

She introduced free entry in 2000 resulting in attendance figures increasing five-fold to over 580,000 in 2010 and secured the financial future through a combination of efficient systems, self-generated income, private, corporate and government support.

During her time with the MCA she has piloted numerous access initiatives that have simultaneously increased attendance figures.

Leszek Strzelecki, Statewide Manager of Museums Retired Commissioned Officers Association Corrective Services NSW  



Les’ passion and determination for safeguarding Corrective Services’ antiquity was instrumental in establishing the Museum in Cooma. He continues to devote time, zeal and personal sacrifice to ensure the continuation of the vision he brought to the Museum at its inception.

Les has embraced the organisation’s focus on offender rehabilitation by employing a workforce of serving offenders in the Museum, preparing those individuals for a virtuous return to the community.

Les has worked tirelessly to bring the community closer to Corrective Services NSW, through the Museum. By dispelling the unknowns about the organisation, the community has become more receptive to the essential role Corrective Services plays in creating a safer community for all of us.

Dr Nick Lomb, Curator of Astronomy, Horology, Meteorology and Surveying
Sydney Observatory (Powerhouse Museum)



While he is a world-wide renowned expert, Nick is a generous, humble person who has had major impact. He has championed the protection of Sydney's colonial history and the recognition of Indigenous Astronomy.

Nick's high profile has contributed to the scientific community's understanding of the educational role museums play, enabling contemporary scientists to appreciate the value museums have in communicating science to the broader community.

Nick has engaged the community in many aspects of his work including instigating inclusion of community contributions to the Sydney Observatory blog site. This led the Australian Financial Review to declare Sydney Observatory in the top 15 blog sites of 2008.

Virtual Excursions into the Past

Videoconferencing is becoming an intrinsic part of educational programing for many museums and galleries in NSW. The Australian Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and, in the regions, the Western Plains Cultural Centre and Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum are embarking on virtual excursions extending the reach of their syllabus-linked learning initiatives. These programs provide content as part of Connected Classrooms, a State government project equipping every NSW public school with video conferencing facilities to enhance collaboration between students, teachers and institutions. 



Key to the success of Connected Classrooms is DART (Distance and Rural Technologies), a team built by the NSW Department of Education and Training to provide direct and immediate connections and support for the schools and institutions delivering educational content. DART connects approximately 2,500 schools, TAFE campuses and administrative offices around NSW with broadband and 52 remote schools and 235 isolated home sites with 2-way satellite services.

Around twenty months ago, the Historic Houses Trust, with a generous grant from the HHT Foundation, decided to invest in VC technology, and since that decision they have produced three programs of lively presentations associated with their properties. Sian Morgan Hall, from the HHT, spoke with M&G NSW about the process.

What was the original reason for HHT choosing videoconferencing?

HHT’s market is NSW and while there are many students passing through the Hyde Park Barracks and other properties, there are also many for who, because of distance and costs of travel, the properties are inaccessible. Many schools can’t afford the cost, and they can’t afford the time so videoconferencing offers them the opportunity to connect with us and our programs.

Can you tell me how you chose your first VC program?

Going into the VC market, HHT wanted a flagship product that really established them in terms of research and education. One of HHT’s most popular programs is based on the convict story of Hyde Park Barracks (the onsite visitation is about 20,000 per year – mainly school students). All agreed that we should base our first VC on this tried and tested program with its strong links to the school curriculum.

What went into the development of A Convict Story?

The program itself took about twelve months to develop, coordinating all the departments involved: Marketing, IT, Education, and the different properties under the HHT banner that are the custodians of the stories.

While Mason Dean conducted technical research into the videoconferencing equipment, I wrote the script and then reviewed it with John Lamzies, an Education Officer with a keen interest in theatre, and we quickly discovered things that didn’t work or needed to be tweaked for the videoconferencing format. In the physical visit, the kids are taken around by a convict overseer, they make a brick, and they sleep in the hammocks. To translate this experience for videoconferencing, we opted for a theatrical delivery whereby the students get a chance to meet a convict as though they were talking to a real person. The children start with a guide, with whom they go back in time via a theatrical device, the “Mind’s Eye diary” and the guide transforms into a convict.

With distance classrooms, interactivity is key. So instead of simply sitting on the floor, the presenter gets the children to put on an imaginary convict outfit, or sing along with a ballad, and there’s always plenty of Q and A. We are careful that A Convict Story doesn’t leave the children imagining they are still back in the past because kids are quite capable of remaining there unless you return them to the present.

After we work shopped the script, we began a three month testing process offering the program to schools for free in return for feedback. Along with the valuable feedback from schools, HHT curators and guide educators watched the presentation, debated facts and fine-tuned the experience.

During this process was there a network of support? Other organisations going through the same thing you were?

There was, and is, a fantastic network. Vanessa Barrett, who was working out of the Australian Museum, and more recently Karen Player coordinated the NSW VC Working Group: a network that includes several large Cultural Institutions such as the MCA, the Australian Museum, Sydney Opera House, and the State Library of NSW. The Working Group is collaborative and very open; everybody is learning and everybody shares their information,

As well as the VC Working Group, DART’s support is crucial. DART does the marketing, the bookings, and lends technical support for HHT. But the DART remit is currently only for public schools in NSW and this means independent schools are disadvantaged. I cannot stress enough how valuable it would be to have an organisation like DART operating nationally on behalf of all schools both public and independent. This would mean that the HHT would then be able to deliver A Convict Story and other videoconference programs nationally to all schools.

Tell me about the other programs such as The Home front: wartime Sydney 1939-1945

Because The Home front VC is targeting the secondary school audience it is a very different, simpler but still effective model of connecting students with visiting experts in the field of WWII Home front history. History students in years 9 and 10 are self-selecting and don’t need the theatricality of the A Convict Story presentation to keep them engaged – the excitement for them is being able to interact with experts.

Along with historians, we are inviting the designer, curator, loans registrar and project manager of The Home front Exhibition to come in and talk about the A-Z of Exhibition planning and implementation.

What are the limitations and advantages of video conferencing?

The opportunity to connect students with experts at a secondary level is important. It’s not just what the expert is saying; the students are learning to interact and interview using deeper communication and research skills. The program prompts reflection on the sort of questions that should be asked of an expert, not simply a substitute for interaction with a book or Googling. We discourage students from asking any questions they could answer through online research. Instead, they ask the speaker about his or her opinions, engaging issues of historiography and perspective.

Many detractors would argue that videoconferencing is a poor substitute for a physical visit. I would argue that sometimes you see school groups in museums and there are four children clustered around a glass case who can see clearly, but there are fifty behind them who cannot see at all. During our VC presentations we are still using images and artifacts, and they’re appearing magnified on a large screen. The feedback we have received indicates that the students really do feel engaged during a VC.

So you don’t get the “oh wow” factor of walking through the barracks but when HHT talks with teachers about the VC, the students say they met a convict, they didn’t meet someone pretending to be a convict and this is achieved through the theatricality of the video conferencing program. During one videoconference a kid asked; “Did you know my great, great, great Grandfather?” So the children really engage in the world, and willingly suspend disbelief.

Defying Distance at the MCA National Centre for Creative Learning

Defying Distance on July 20 was an overview of the MCA’s recent redevelopment with a focus on their use of the latest technology connecting audiences across Australia and the world to engage with art through seamless accessibility. 

Heather Whitely Robertson, Head of Creative Learning, MCA provides an overview of the new National Centre for Creative Learning and the programs offered by the MCA. 

Melinda Garcia, Digital Learning Coordinator, MCA on Engaging in the Digital Space.

Defying Distance was a partnership with Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) and Regional Public Galleries of NSW (RPGNSW).

Mukurtu 1.0 launches in Sydney at Museums & Galleries NSW workshops

Some of the greatest revolutions begin with a whisper and on the International Day of Indigenous Peoples last week that whisper was Mukurtu.

Mukurtu 1.0, a free and open source platform that will create safe digital keeping places for Indigenous communities around the world was officially launched in Sydney at a Museums & Galleries NSW workshop at the State Library on 8 August.

The launch of Mukurtu 1.0 in Sydney was also significant as this adaptable content management system that responds to Indigenous protocols had its beginnings in Australia.

For Mukurtu Project Director Kim Christen from the Washington State University, the journey to Mukurtu 1.0 began in Tennant Creek, NT, in 1995. As an anthropology intern working with the Warumungu community, she thought there would be content management software (CMS) available to meet the community’s desire to organise, manage and share its digital cultural materials in line with their cultural protocols.

Instead, the few CMS systems available that attempted to respond to Indigenous protocols were limited in options, prohibitively expensive and required extensive training and proficiency. Since that time, government developed, Indigenous focused CMS programs have also stalled, particularly where communities have been reluctant to hand over precious information to state control.

Kim’s inspiration was mukurtu, the Warumungu world for dilly bag, used for collecting and gathering bush foods and in a particular Warumungu instance, holding their sacred objects and knowledge.

From her position at Washington State University, Kim was able to attract funding from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the US based National Endowment for the Humanities towards her social justice vision of empowering Indigenous peoples everywhere through digital management of their own cultural resources and knowledge.

The funding has grown as the project has gained momentum and feedback in test communities in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, North and South America. It also attracted some of the best technical input and advice available, including Michael Ashley, from University of California Berkley as Development Director.

Kim and Michael made a three-day stopover in Sydney en route to New Zealand where the interest in Mukurtu is even greater than here. Museums & Galleries NSW organised the 3 one day introductory workshops with support from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Archive (ATSIDA) at University of Technology (UTS) Sydney, the State Library through new Director Alex Byrne and Charles Sturt University Wagga Campus.

What makes Mukurtu special, apart from being free, powerful, secure and easy to use, is its adaptability to any form of Indigenous protocol in isolation or combination. It does this through an “And/Or” system of community and protocol relationship options.

As Kim and Michael say, the basis of the system is about people and relationships and the software just enables these to work together in an easy and instantaneous process.

The Drupal CMS platform Mukurtu uses is also open source and very secure, used by the White House and the World Bank.

Mukurtu will work with most scanned or stored digital material including text based archives and spreadsheets, photos and video, podcasts, multimedia and visual/graphic art. It can be geo located instantaneously, even sourcing longitude and latitude if you do not know these, just type in the name of your location.

Multi-component elements of the same object (text, video, photos) can be related and stored. Objects can be related to each other and collections built and shared as online exhibitions. Communities can be assured only the information and visuals they want to share will be seen by the relevant audience. For instance, other members of the same clan or community may see more or different material to what members of the general public may see, based on the associated protocols. 

Mukurtu also allows users to apply creative commons or standard copyright licenses, which automatically generate deeds of useage for licensees of material. Kim and the team is also working on a Traditional Knowledge label system, which WIPO is particularly interested in. While not legally enforceable it will educate and provide understanding to web image end users on the appropriate use and accreditation of Indigenous materials from a Mukurtu CMS. 

The Mukurtu publishable front page can be customised, as can much of the system so that, for instance, a local Aboriginal Land Council can use Mukurtu for its front page, displaying objects and images from its collection alongside the approved traditional knowledge. 

Users can choose either a secure web-based version of the freeware or download a free version to their computer, laptop, tablet or mobile which will make that device in effect their digital keeping place. In either case their data is protected and can only be seen by those to whom they choose to make it available. 

The Mukurtu 1.0 release means that all future upgrades (Mukurtu 1.1 being the first) can be pushed out as automatic and compatible upgrades, meaning no loss of data already entered.

An iphone application will follow in October and, with more funding, an Android version in 2013. As one of our workshop participants identified, this will be invaluable for Aboriginal field workers who can instantly record on tablets or iphones any site variations due to nature or vandalism. Where coverage is available, these can be immediately available in the localized version of Mukurtu for comparison.

The three workshops run by Museums & Galleries NSW at the State Library and the Wagga campus of Sturt University attracted a small, diverse and enthusiastic pool of potential users. These included Aboriginal achivists, academics, multimedia artists, photographers, filmmakers, researchers, historians and local Aboriginal Land Councils and community groups.

Having experienced the ease and power of Mukurtu for themselves, there was a 100% uptake of the online version which offers further training and advice support and video conferencing. In some cases, among those wanting to continue using Mukurtu were users who had only just learnt to use email.

If you would like to know more about Mukurtu, go to www.mukurtu.org and watch the three minute video and read its top ten features (there are many more).

Like all the other participants, I have become a fan of Mukurtu, believing we can create the digital future of our cultural heritage using it. Through spreading the word and further funding, I hope to be able to invite Kim and Michael back next year for a series of longer workshops for what will be by then a community of Mukurtu users and enthusiasts.

To see an interview with Kim Christen from the Washington State University click here.

Steve Miller
Aboriginal Programs Manager

Survivor at Lismore

On Friday 20 July, Lismore Regional Gallery hosted the Survivor performance which involved 24 local participants and the artist, Dadang Christanto. Survivor is a major performance that was initially developed by Christanto in 2008 as a live protest against an environmental disaster in East Java which saw hot volcanic mud wipe out eleven villages and destroy many lives. 

Like the original performance, volunteers from the local community covered themselves in mud and held photographic portraits of faces lost in the disaster, enduring and maintaining a still silence for two hours to memorialise the event and its ongoing impacts.

Following this significant and moving performance is the exhibition of the untouched remaining detritus, photographic documentation and video footage – showing at Lismore Regional Gallery until 25 August 2012.

To follow a ‘day in the life’ journey of one of the Survivor participants, see the video below. ABC Open North Coast producer Catherine Marciniak and contributor Jenny Grinlington follow Rebecca Kinsey as she takes part as a volunteer in a performance artwork. 

To hear more about the performance from the artist and Lismore Regional Gallery Director, Brett Adlington, see video below.


Courtesy of Echonetdaily. Video by Sharon Shostak.

Story by Lillian.

Archibald Prize 2012 at Newcastle

Winner of the 2012 Archibald Prize, Tim Storrier and his wife Janet
in front of his work,The histrionic wayfarer (after Bosch). Image courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery. 

The NSW regional tour of the 2012 Archibald Prize kicked off in Newcastle last week. Always a crowd pleaser, some 400 guests assembled to hear new Director of the Art Gallery of NSW, Michael Brand, open the show. Brand spoke eloquently about the importance of galleries in the context of community and culture. He acknowledged the superb work undertaken at Newcastle Art Gallery and commended Ron Ramsey and his team as they move towards work commencing on a $21M redevelopment. 

Opening of the 2012 Archibald Prize at Newcastle Art Gallery.
Image courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery.

 Prize winning artist Tim Storrier also spoke, recounting humorous anecdotes about life as an artist with particular reference to the winning work. Thirty five guests, many associated with the Gallery Foundation and Society, then adjourned to the grand surrounds of The Newcastle Club to enjoy a delicious dinner, more conversation and to hear Michal Brand speak ‘off the cuff’ about his ambition for the Art Gallery of NSW. 

Tim Storrier during his speech at the 2012 Archibald Prize opening.
Image courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery.

Following Newcastle the Archibald heads to Cowra Regional Gallery where anticipation and excitement are already building. The exhibition then travels to Dubbo, Grafton, Hawkesbury and Armidale. Catch it if you can!

Further information of the regional tour: http://mgnsw.org.au/exhibit/archibald_prize_2012/

Story by Michael Rolfe.

Mukurtu - new Indigenous minded content management freeware

Mukurtu is new content management freeware created with Indigenous protocols in mind. Ahead of M&G NSW workshops in Sydney and Wagga in August we asked Mukurtu team leader Kim Christen from the Washington State University how Aboriginal communities across NSW could apply this digital tool to their collections.

What has been the Australian experience so far of Mukurtu? (feedback)

Mukurtu began with the Warumungu community in Tennant Creek, this year is the first opportunity for us to make the software available free to anyone. We have worked over the last year to produce a system that will work for any community in Australia and elsewhere who want to have an archive for their materials using their own protocols.

Can I learn to operate Mukurtu if I have only basic computer skills such as Word and email?

Yes, it is designed to be user-friendly. It also depends on the level at which you will be using Mukurtu. Someone in your organization needs to set up the system on a server or on a dedicated computer, there are some steps to doing this and we have help along the way. We have worked hard to make it as easy a process as possible.

Can other people, for example in my organisation, other Mukurtu users elsewhere or even the University of Washington, access my stored material?

No, your material is housed on your instance of Mukurtu either on your own server or your own hard drive. Even if you choose to host your material on one of our Pantheon servers only your system administrator and you have your user name and password to access your materials.

How does Mukurtu safeguard my copyright and intellectual property rights? 

No piece of software can actually protect your intellectual property rights alone, what Mukurtu does is give you a step by step process to license your materials in your own way, either using traditional copyright, creative commons licenses or our traditional knowledge licenses and labels. You can license your materials within Mukurtu to make it very clear what your intentions are with every piece of content.

As a non-Indigenous person, can I attend a workshop with the intention of finding Aboriginal people in my community that I can help use the system ata later date?

Yes, anyone is welcome.

Will there be more workshops? 

We hope so and there will be online tutorials and educational materials as we progress on our website www.mukurtu.org

M&G NSW is organising Mukurtu workshops during August with support from the State Library of NSW, Charles Sturt University (Wagga Campus) and the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Data Archive (ATSIDA) at UTS. For info, contact Aboriginal Sector Development Program Manager Steve Miller stevem@mgnsw.org.au