Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Public Records Act with a new record release showcasing Bendigo's rich history of healthcare

Just how did the Great War impact the mental health of the families of Bendigo boys at the front – and those very same men after they returned home? What led an abandoned wife to an early grave via the Benevolent Asylum's Lying-In Hospital and Bendigo Hospital, and what happened to her children? What volume of people were the hospital handling? Who were they, and how was this managed? Learn more about Bendigo Regional Archive Centre’s latest collection of records, how they link to other resources, and the questions they might answer - and raise - for genealogists, academics and other history researchers.

Guest speakers will discuss the recent record transfer from Bendigo Health’s archive, touching on the importance of the collection, its context within the Public Record Act, and look at the evolution of Bendigo Health from its inception as the Bendigo Gold District General Hospital in 1856, and stories about local people that can be found in these records.

Speakers: Justine Heazlewood (Director & Keeper of Public Records, PROV), Bruce Smith (Consultant Archivist), Dr Susan Walter (Archive Coordinator, BRAC) & Desiree Petit-Keating (Archive Officer, BRAC).

This event is FREE but bookings are required. This is an in-person event only and light refreshments will be available.

An Australian Heritage Festival event.