John Patten

Portrait of John Patten

John Patten joined the History Council of Victoria in March 2017, representing Museums Victoria.

Hailing from far northern NSW, John is a Bundjalung-Yorta Yorta man on his father’s side, and a descendant of First Fleet convicts, Irish rebels and the Saami people of Lapland via his mother.

As the Manager of Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum, John leads a team responsible for researching and developing community exhibitions and programs which highlight the diverse histories and cultures of Victoria’s First Peoples.

John is a passionate educator, historian and accomplished artist who has served as a board member for the International Museum Theatre Alliance-Asia Pacific, currently acts in an advisory capacity for Worawa Aboriginal College, and is the founder of koorihistory.com.

About

The History Council of Victoria Incorporated (HCV) is the peak body for history in the Australian state of Victoria. Its vision is to connect Victorians with history and to inspire engagement with the past, their identity and the world today. The HCV champions the work of historians and the value of history. It recognises that history can be written about any place, any person, any period. The HCV advocates why history matters.

Events

Our calendar lists all upcoming public events arranged by the History Council of Victoria (HCV), plus events in Victoria, Australia, that are added by our Friends and Members.

If you are organising an event that relates to History, we encourage you to publicise it on our website.

Advocacy

As the peak body for history in Victoria, the History Council makes submissions on current issues. In doing this, the HCV Board is guided by its Advocacy Policy and by the Value of History, a statement developed co-operatively by the HCV and the History Councils of New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia.

Prizes

Since 2015, the HCV has been pleased to sponsor the Years 9 and 10 category of the Historical Fiction Competition organised by the History Teachers' Association of Victoria.

Support

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Summary

The HCV was formed as an advisory body in 2001 and incorporated in 2003. It comprises representatives from cultural and educational institutions and heritage bodies; history teachers and curriculum advisors; academic and professional historians; and local, Indigenous, community and specialist history organisations.

As the peak body for history, the HCV has both ‘outward-looking’ roles (including advocacy and representation to government and the wider community, consultation, community education, and networking with allied interest groups) and ‘inward-looking’ roles (including member support, information dissemination, and networking between members).

Credits

Image acknowledgements to go here.