Guidelines for the FAHS Awards of Merit

The Federation of Australian Historical Societies (FAHS) annually calls for nominations for its Awards of Merit. Up to five Awards of Merit are awarded to individuals. These awards take the form of a Certificate of Merit.

Awards of Merit are recognition of a meritorious contribution to the community history and heritage movement across a region, at State/Territory level or across more than one State/Territory.

Any individual is eligible for this award who has an association with one of the constituent societies of the Federation, namely the Canberra & District Historical Society, Historical Society of the Northern Territory, History Trust of South Australia, Royal Australian Historical Society, Royal Historical Society of Queensland, Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Royal Western Australian Historical Society, Tasmanian Historical Research Association OR the Launceston Historical Society or other community history/heritage organisation.

Eligibility for Awards of Merit

Eligibility must be demonstrated through one or more of the following:

• meritorious contribution to historical/heritage bodies across a region, at State/Territory level or across more than one State/Territory;
• meritorious contribution to the collection, preservation, care and management of movable and/or built heritage across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory;
• meritorious contribution to advocacy for the protection and conservation of movable and built heritage across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory;
• meritorious contribution to Australian historiography across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory;
• publication of meritorious works that promote engagement with community history and/or heritage or heritage protection across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory;
• meritorious contribution to advocacy for and/or the teaching of history/heritage at primary, secondary and/or tertiary levels or similar, including teacher training and ongoing professional learning;
• meritorious contribution to the technology that has supported the preservation or promotion of built or movable cultural heritage across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory;
• other forms of meritorious contribution having a bearing on achieving the aims of the FAHS and/or the community history and heritage movement across a region, State/Territory or more than one State/Territory.

Currently serving members of the FAHS Council are not eligible for nomination.

Inquiries to the Convenor of the Awards Committee, Dr Don Garden: gardendon@outlook.com

Completed forms to reach the Convenor no later than 15 September 2025.

Download the Guidelines and Nomination Forms from the FAHS Awards website.

Write yourself into history

As a member of the Royal Australian Historical Society, you’ve almost certainly discovered the wealth of the State Library of New South Wales collections as well as those of the National Library of Australia. Perhaps you’ve whiled away many hours making discoveries on Trove. Did you know that a large proportion of these collections were built through legal deposit?

Legal deposit is a law which has been in place in Australia in various forms since the 19th century. It means that one copy of everything published electronically or in print is to be given to the National Library and the relevant state or territory library in which it was published. Legal deposit ensures that our published heritage is preserved for future generations, providing a diverse and inclusive picture of the nation, capturing what we are thinking, imagining, and writing about over time.

We’re reaching out to members of the Royal Australian Historical Society to make sure that those of you who publish are aware of the opportunity to contribute to our national heritage through legal deposit.

Published means an item that is available to the public for sale or for free, for example if it is available to read through your society library. If your work was published in Australia, whether in print or electronically, you need to deposit a copy with the National Library and your state or territory library. Works that are self-published or published commercially are included. You don’t need to have an ISBN. If you, as an Australian, self-publish using an international service, your publication is still considered to have been published in Australia.

If you live in New South Wales and your publication fits the above description, you should deposit a copy with the National Library and the State Library of New South Wales. Deposits are accepted in print and electronic formats. Where both formats are available we prefer electronic and we only require one copy. Electronic deposit is easy, free, safe and fast through the National edeposit service (NED). By depositing through NED publications will be available to both the National Library and the State Library of New South Wales.

Find out more on our website here.