The RAHS is committed to providing educational and training opportunities to its members and the broader history community that will support their history and heritage projects. The development of online resources is an important component of this goal as it enables us to reach NSW regional communities, and build up a toolkit of useful materials that can be accessed at any time.  We would like to thank City of Sydney, State Library of NSW, State Records NSW, the Oral History NSW and the Professional Historians Association NSW & ACT for helping us develop these materials. We would also like to acknowledge the support of Arts NSW and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

RAHS/State Records NSW Seminar: Managing Your Collections

In 2012 the RAHS and State Records NSW held a comprehensive seminar 'Managing Your Collections', which included a range of useful topics such as compiling and managing databases, digitising records and photographs, paper collection indexing, arranging and describing collections, and accessioning procedures.

Listen and Watch Part 1

 

Listen and Watch Part 2

Unearthing Your Collection Gems: an introduction to indexing digital collections – Malcolm Skewis

Malcolm Skewis provides an overview into the process of indexing digital collections, in particular photographs and glass slides. Indexing is a critical component to ensure that researches find the gems in your historical collections.

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Note: This resource was prepared as part of the Beyond the Blue Mountains: Following the Road from Bathurst, which examines the history of New South Wales inland settlement and the ways in which this history is remembered. Historians provide an overview of key themes connected to this important period of NSW history.

Indexing ‘Beyond the Blue Mountains’ Images – Malcolm Skewis

Historical photographs and images provide insights into our past. RAHS Indexer Malcolm Skewis shares his experience in indexing materials from the RAHS Collection for the ‘Beyond the Blue Mountains: Following the Road from Bathurst’.

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Note: This resource was prepared as part of the Beyond the Blue Mountains: Following the Road from Bathurst, which examines the history of New South Wales inland settlement and the ways in which this history is remembered. Historians provide an overview of key themes connected to this important period of NSW history.

An Introduction to Land Research – Associate Professor Carol Liston

Reflecting on our past requires historical research. RAHS President Carol Liston provides an introduction to Land Research, a very popular topic for RAHS workshops and seminars. Carol has also prepared a downloadable PDF containing a list of useful links and websites to assist with searching Land Records online.

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Note: This resource was prepared as part of the Beyond the Blue Mountains: Following the Road from Bathurst, which examines the history of New South Wales inland settlement and the ways in which this history is remembered. Historians provide an overview of key themes connected to this important period of NSW history.

Hear your house talk through the records - Christine Yeats

Christine Yeats has provided a handout to assist your research into the history of your house (dated September 2022).

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Land Title Research and the new HLRV website - Christine Yeats

The Historical Land Records Viewer (HLRV) holds digitised records of land titles from 1792 to 1863, which can be searched at no charge.  Christine Yeats has provided a handout to assist your own research into your property's history using the HLRV.

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House and Property Guide - NSW State Archives & Records

NSW State Archives and Records have compiled a guide that provides details about records in their collection relating to historical house and property research and includes a list of other organisations that may hold relevant material.

Life After Gold: From Land Title Records to State Records – Dr. Terry Kass

Land title records available through the SIX Portal provide essential historical information about freehold land, but what about land before it passed from the Crown or government into private ownership? Dr Terry Kass demonstrates how to access records held by State Records NSW about the occupation.

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Note: This resource was prepared as part of the Beyond the Blue Mountains: Following the Road from Bathurst, which examines the history of New South Wales inland settlement and the ways in which this history is remembered. Historians provide an overview of key themes connected to this important period of NSW history.

Since its launch in 2006, Ancestry has changed the way we approach online research. Offering access to millions of ‘names’ contained within original records gathered from many different sources, including government archives and private collections, Ancestry has become the genealogist’s friend. Christine Yeats prepared a handout that will show how these records can also be used to assist local historians with their research into the people, events and organisations that have contributed to the history of a local area. With the click of a mouse, and some planning and preparation, local historians will also find Ancestry an invaluable resource.

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Note: Christine delivered a talk on Trove's Government Gazettes at the 2017 RAHS Conference.

Government Gazettes are published to notify the community of the actions and decisions of Australia’s Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. They date from the earliest days of settlement and cover all aspects of government concern and regulation. This makes Government Gazettes an important resource for all types of historical research. The NSW and Commonwealth Government Gazettes are now available on Trove. RAHS President Christine Yeats prepared this handout on how to make the best use of these important records.

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Note: Christine delivered a talk on Trove's Government Gazettes at the 2017 RAHS Conference.

What did it say? – Gail Davis

How often have we read or thought these words when confronted with a letter or document written many years ago? If you are having trouble reading the writing from another era this seminar may help. It aims to provide practical tips and tactics for deciphering those letters and documents which are difficult to read. It will include abbreviations, conventions and terms from the Colonial area and into the early 20th Century and where to go to find more information and help. It will look at steps to take before you even begin and guide you on the path to be able to read almost anything including crossed writing. Gail Davis has had a long and distinguished career at State Records NSW. Gail is in charge of the research and copying services and she has undertaken numerous research projects involving the NSW State Archives. Gail was the chief indexer on the Bicentennial Project to index the Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence, 1788-1825. Most recently she has worked on two key research projects ─ digital exhibitions showcasing the NSW State archives relating to Lachlan Macquarie in 2010 and celebrating State Records’ 50th anniversary in 2011.

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This talk was delivered by Gail Davis at History House, 6th February 2013

Promoting History through Social Media

Download the handout from this webinar delivered by RAHS Staff, which provides detail on the RAHS' approach to using social media to promote history. Topics covered include things to consider when carrying out a Social Media Assessment,  using Facebook and Twitter, and online tools such as Flickr and Historypin to promote historical collections. The Powerpoint presentation from the 'Promoting History through Social Media' webinar is also available to view and download.

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Making the best use of Social Media for your Society

This presentation covers a range of topics including getting started building your own website, basic website design and starting a blog,  and recording and editing podcasts.

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Download Part 2

 

'Making History - an introduction to iMovie and documentary filmmaking'

This is the handout from a presentation which provided a cursory overview of the video editing application iMovie’s layout, features, and the process involved in using the application. a basic understanding of what is involved in creating a short documentary and a set of ‘next step’ resources that will further your understanding of both iMovie and documentary filmmaking was also covered. The Powerpoint slides are also available.

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The following handout was updated in 2019, and was presented to the Blue Mountains Historical Society by RAHS General Manager Suzanne Holohan. It provides an overview of the processes involved in applying for grants to assist in funding history and heritage projects. Topics covered include application and project preparation, guidelines and criteria, completing an application form, planning your project, and what to do if your plans go awry. It also provides a list of the most common grant mistakes that RAHS staff see when administering grants on behalf of the NSW government.

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This handout was prepared by Suzanne Holohan, RAHS General Manager and RAHS Company Secretary. Delivered in March 2019 as part of a Transport Heritage Sector Day.

Part A of the handout answers the following questions : How you define 'good governance'? What are its key components?  Why bother with good governance? Part B looks at the key duties and responsibilities of the board, and examines the role of treasurer.

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The handout contains links to important online resources. Suzanne also recommends that historical societies look at the online resources by the Federation of Australian Historical Societies that provide information on forward planning and good governance, along with the important business skills required to keep your historical society financially and operationally sustainable.

wp-content/uploads/2019/04/For-Delegates_2019-Governance-Presentation_Key-concepts-and-roles-.pdf

Explore our collection of downloadable resources, which so far includes handouts from our webinar series.

In October 2020 AIATSIS published the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (the AIATSIS Code). This document supersedes and replaces the AIATSIS Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies 2012 (GERAIS). All references to GERAIS in Australian research codes and guidance should be taken to refer to this Code.

According to the AIATSIS website the release of the AIATSIS Code will see a 12-month implementation period. Other supporting resources and templates will be developed and published during the implementation period and beyond.

The AIATSIS Code and A Guide to applying The AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research can be downloaded from the AIATSIS website at: https://aiatsis.gov.au/research/ethical-research/code-ethics

The AIATSIS Code outlines four principles that underpin ethical Australian Indigenous research:

  1. Indigenous self-determination
  2. Indigenous leadership
  3. Impact and value
  4. Sustainability and accountability

Each principle frames a set of responsibilities for researchers, institutions and review bodies when conducting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research includes all research that impacts on or is of particular significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the planning, collection, analysis and dissemination of information or knowledge, in any format or medium, which is about, or may affect, Indigenous peoples, either collectively or individually.

The AIATSIS Code sets national standards for the ethical and responsible conduct of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, across all disciplines and methodologies. It is for use by those undertaking research, reviewing research or funding research, including individuals, universities, governments, industry and community organisations.

The Code applies to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research including research activities relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections. In the Australian context, research has generally been defined as ‘investigation undertaken to gain knowledge and understanding’ and casts a wide net in terms of what constitutes research. It applies to academic research carried out in and by universities and publicly funded research agencies, governments and the private sector. Its scope extends to human research, archival research and re-use of data, formal evaluation and any other research activity.[1]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research includes all research that impacts or is of particular significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the planning, collection, analysis and dissemination of information or knowledge, in any format or medium, which is about or may affect Indigenous peoples, either collectively or individually.[2]

The AIATSIS Code applies to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, regardless of whether the research intends to directly involve human participants, and specifically extends to the use of collections such as archives, datasets, collections of information or biospecimens that may not otherwise be categorised as human research.

For the purposes of this Code, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research should be understood as research that concerns or impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in any of the following ways:

  • the research is about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, societies, culture and/or knowledge, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policies or experience
  • the target population is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups, communities or societies
  • the target population is not explicitly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals or communities but the research population includes a significant number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people have been incidentally recruited and researchers wish to do separate analysis of Indigenous-specific data
  • there are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals or communities contributing to the research
  • there is new or pre-existing data related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples being used in the research, and
  • the research concerns Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ lands or waters.[3]

The online copies of the AIATSIS Code and the A Guide to applying The AIATSIS Code of Ethics should be consulted for more detailed explanation of the application of the Code.

[1] AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (the AIATSIS Code), October 2020, https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/aiatsis-code-ethics.pdf, p. 5.

[2] The AIATSIS Code, p.6.

[3] The AIATSIS Code p.6.