RWAHS Annual State History Conference of Affiliated Societies

The Annual Royal Western Australian History Conference of Affiliated Societies attracts delegates and other participants from metropolitan and regional districts from all over the State. It is held on alternate years in regional and metropolitan centres. It is a two-day weekend event, chaired by the President of the RWAHS, and usually commences on the Friday evening with a reception arranged by the host local authority.

There are Conference Program of Papers, an Annual General Meeting and one or more tours to local places of historical interest.

Merit Award

Each year the Affiliates Committee, on behalf of the RWAHS, presents a Merit Award at the Annual Conference see the affiliates page for details.

2024 Merit Award: Busselton Historical Society

The Committee was impressed with the Society’s work in several areas. These include recent improvements to their museum facilities, such as the installation of new concrete pathways to improve accessibility for prams and wheelchairs, as well as their weekly cleaning and maintenance schedule for the museum and its exhibits.

The Society’s involvement in community affairs is extensive and includes such activities as: meeting cruise ships during the cruise season; membership on the War Memorial Committee; visits to aged care facilities; and supporting a new local event, the Busselton & South-West Heritage Festival, as well as the centenary celebrations for 100 Years of Group Settlement.

As well as these community activities, the Society has started to scan and digitise its research resources and continues to digitise its photographic collection and to research and label items on display in their collection.

All of these indicate that Busselton has had a very busy year while still managing to inform and include its own membership.

2023 Merit Award : Maylands Historical and Peninsula Association

The Committee was impressed that Maylands has used innovative methods to raise its profile in the community which has led to an increase in the numbers of people attending their monthly talks as well as a sizeable increase in membership numbers. These innovations stretch to recording meeting talks on video and making them available on the Association’s You Tube Channel and re-presenting some of these talks during the day at Maylands library. Much of the success of attendances at meetings has been through a wide range of advertising.

Their community engagement has been impressive. They hosted several guided walking tours in November 2022 as part of Maylands History and Heritage month which marked 30 years for the Association. These tours encompassed not only familiar buildings and places in the suburb, but also places of worship. Most importantly the research undertaken for these tours has been preserved by the development of printed cards that enable visitors to take their own self-guided walks.

The Association has also been successful in obtaining several grants which will be put towards improvements to their IT capabilities.

2022 Merit Award : Margaret River & Districts Historical Society

Margaret River & Districts has had an interesting and busy year culminating in March with the celebration of 100 years of Group Settlement in the district. The Society worked closely with community groups to help create an event that included community stalls, wood cutting displays, WA Dairy Farmers and nine schools. The logistics of working with that many schools was a triumph in itself! The schools took part in one of the more imaginative activities: decorating banners supplied by the Society. The banners were painted with the names of the various Groups that had settled in the Margaret River area. The final banner count came to 30 which the children and adults proudly carried down Margaret River’s main street to the Old Settlement. The event attracted group settler descendants who provided family stories of their ancestors’ experiences. The Society receives numerous enquiries relating to group settlements, so this information received at the Centenary celebrations had added to their records. The Society also hosts morning teas for people who once lived in the district. This treat not only enables those who have moved away to catch up with old friends, but also provides to opportunity to gather additional historical information. An important outcome from the Centenary celebration was the compilation of a professional film which the Society can now present to visitors.

Another important project completed by the Society was the production of a historic walk trail along Margaret River’s main street which is linked to the trail pamphlet via QR codes. Visitors can download the pamphlet from the Society’s web page and click on the links to obtain information about the places. The trail includes 67 sites. The information provided in the link is fully referenced, allowing visitors to obtain further information if they wish.

Congratulations Margaret River & Districts Historical Society!