Newsletter

The Society now has a regular newsletter, produced by Margaret Henderson. Click here to read the latest issues.

Society Wins Another Award

 Richmond River Historical Society has been a double winner at the 2009 IMAGinE awards, which honour the achievements of the NSW & ACT museum and gallery sector and those who work within it. The Society won the award for Collection Management and for excellence in the volunteer organisation category, based on its nomination as a leading example of best cultural and museum practice when developing Collection Management.

The nomination for the award cited the Society’s development of collection policies; enhanced documentation of the collection, the focus on locally significant items and the general management of the collections.

The RRHS has again been recognised in 2009 with a Highly Commended Award in the ABC Radio National Marvelous Museums competition.

Commenting on the awards, RRHS Secretary Geoffrey Foley said, “Museums play a valuable role in creating a sense of identity and place. The two awards recently made to RRHS reflect its success in helping our communities to understand themselves by interpreting shared experiences.”

The IMAGinE awards, an initiative of Museums & Galleries NSW, was developed in collaboration with Museums Australia NSW & ACT, and the Regional Galleries Association of NSW. The awards were presented at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on Saturday 17 October. Winners included galleries and museums, big and small, from across the two states in a number of categories, including those for innovation and excellence in programming.

“The IMAGinE awards are a fantastic way to highlight the vital role that museums and galleries play in the cultural life of their communities and as custodians of the cultural material that defines us all” said Museums and Galleries NSW CEO Maisy Stapleton. “We look forward to further developing the IMAGinE awards, and providing this important acknowledgement to those people and institutions who contribute such a wealth of cultural input into our society,” she said. “These are the organisations and individuals that provide places people want to visit because they can engage and learn.”

Exhibitions

Our newest exhibition is Goories Playing Sport : Pride, Family Community. This exhibition examines the sporting achievements of Bundjalung people. It was held to coincide with the 37th New South Wales Annual Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout Carnival being hosted in Lismore. This exhibition will be touring to communities and towns across the Northern Rivers during 2008. Watch this space for the touring schedule.

Trips

The Society usually holds four trips to areas of local interest during the year.

The bus departs from the Museum at 10am and returns around 4pm. Contact the Society for more information and bookings: 6621 9993.

Tours

Christmas Closing

The Museum will close at 4pm on Wednesday 16 December and reopen on Monday 4 January 2010. The Research Room will close at 4pm on Wednesday 16 December and reopen on Monday 11 January.

Meetings

Quarterly meetings are held at 2pm on the third Sunday in March and September. The AGM is held in June. Visitors are welcome. At the meeting in the Museum at 2 pm on Sunday, 7 March, Geoffrey Walker will speak on the development of the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, with which he has been associated for some 20 years.

Bundjalung Jugun - Bundjalung Country

This book tells the story of interaction between Aborigines and Europeans in Bundjalung Country from a Bundjalung perspective.

Bundjalung Jugun (meaning Bundjalung Country) is a Richmond River Historical Society (RRHS) publication written by Jennifer Hoff and includes extensive consultation with Bundjalung Elders.

Uncle Fletcher Roberts, who had a long association with the museum, became the motivating force behind the Bundjalung Yanha (Bundjalung Way) permanent exhibition and this book, Bundjalung Jugun. His wise direction set cultural guidelines throughout the project.

Bundjalung Jugun is a series of themed stories of early life in Bundjalung Country; from the Logan to the Clarence River. Major elements include the European invasion, cedar cutting, squatting and settlers' lives and the traditional pattern of life for Bundjalung people pre-1788.

Reminiscences, teachings and stories by Bundjalung Elders of several generations form the heart of the book. The Richmond River Historical Society's holdings of folios, notes, letters, photographs and tapes contributed an important collection of first hand accounts.

Bundjalung Jugun is available from the RRHS for $50 plus postage.

Mary-Louise Williams, Director Australian National Maritime Museum, presents IMAGinE award for Excellence to RRHS Secretary Geoffrey Foley

Photo: Fiora Sacco Copyright Museums & Galleries NSW