Join us for Book+Author, the HCV Book Club in 2023: Frank Bongiorno in conversation with David Lowe about his latest book, Dreamers and Schemers.

'Depicting a wonderful parade of dreamers and schemers, Bongiorno surveys moments of political renewal and sheds fresh light on our democratic life. From local pubs and meeting halls to the parliament and cabinet; from pamphleteers and stump orators to party agents and operatives – this enthralling account looks at the political insiders in the halls of power, as well as the agitators and outsiders who sought to shape the nation from the margins.'

Free and online, please book below.

Register below to access a collection of general resources relating to teaching, studying and working in history.

Booking information:

• Bookings are free!
• Register with your own name, and add your students as guests (doing this helps us with our reporting to the Department).
• Include your school name in the address field (doing this helps us with our reporting to the Department).

Video lectures:

• Registered participants will have unlimited access to the video lectures until after the final exam.
• Emails with a link to these video lectures will be automatically sent when you register (please contact us if you don't receive this via [email protected])
• Send the link to your students to watch and/or use in class.

Register below to access both video lectures and additional resources: 

From custodianship to the Anthropocene with Prof Richard Broome (Environmental Management & Mismanagement: Deep Time to 1901)

War and Upheaval with Dr Richard Trembath

Power and Resistance with Dr Richard Trembath

Booking information:

• Bookings are free!
• Register with your own name, and add your students as guests (doing this helps us with our reporting to the Department).
• Include your school name in the address field (doing this helps us with our reporting to the Department).

Video lectures:

• Registered participants will have unlimited access to the video lectures until after the final exam.
• Emails with a link to these video lectures will be automatically sent when you register (please contact us if you don't receive this via [email protected])
• Send the link to your students to watch and/or watch and discuss in class.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Australian Midwifery History Project would like to present our new website: https://australianmidwiferyhistory.org.au/.

The website outlines the history of midwifery in Australia as well as that of the Australian College of Midwives; it is the only site in Australia that contains this comprehensive source of information.  Launched in December 2021, the site is a living history project so we are continuously adding new historical material as colleagues, families, local communities and others share valuable information and memories with us.  

As you know, midwifery is one of the oldest recorded professions. All towns and cities throughout history would have had a local midwife. These women were important members of their communities. Besides attending women in childbirth, they were often the person who was called to assist families around death and dying.

Older members of your family or someone you know may have memories of one of these ‘Granny Midwives’ or of one of the growing number of professionally trained midwives who practised in the first half of the 20^th Century in Australia. You may have knowledge of midwifery and childbirth for First Nations people, pre-colonisation. If so, we would love to hear from you on [email protected].

The website is for all who have an interest in the history of midwifery and childbirth in Australia. Please peruse at your leisure. 

March is Women's History Month!

This Women's History Month calendar lists public events that relate to women's history and is scheduled to occur during the month of March. The events are hosted by a range of organisations - government, academic, professional and community-based - in the history sector.

If you are organising an event during March 2022, and if it relates to Women's History, you are welcome to publicise it here. Please consider carefully whether face-to-face events are viable in your community. Then click on the 'Host your own event' button at the foot of this page to get started. Please note that there may be a delay of up to 48 hours (for moderation) before your event becomes visible on the website.

The concept of Women's History Month was revived by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria during 2019 with support from several interested organisations. This calendar is hosted by the History Council of Victoria.

To download the Women's History Month logos to use on your promotions, please click here: Women's History Month logos

Entries for the Lynette Russell Prize for First Peoples' History in Schools will open in early 2023.

The prize will be awarded based on a project that displays knowledge, engagement and creativity, taking into consideration the year level of the student/s. The project submitted may take any form: written, visual, digital or performative. It may be a project or work completed in class or outside of class as an additional activity.

Examples might include:

• School gardening program that follows a First Nations’ seasonal calendar and weather knowledge.
• Projects that focus on First Peoples' lives and events.
• Exploration of school’s activities around Reconciliation.

Award

The prize will consist of a cash payment of $500 and a certificate. The use of the prize will be determined by the teacher or Koori Engagement Support Officer, as appropriate, in consultation with students.

Winners will also be recognised with acknowledgement via the HCV’s publications and social media, and a year-long membership of the Friends of the HCV. 

The prize was established by Professor Lynette Russell AM to encourage the creative engagement and deeper knowledge of a wider number of primary and secondary school students in this area.

Resources

Possible resources can be found here: 

Aboriginal Change Makers Y7-10 resource

NAIDOC Educational Resources

VAEAI Resources

A preview of the application form can be viewed here  Form Preview 2022

Terms and conditions

The prize will be awarded at the discretion of the judging panel (as outlined under ‘Selection process’ below). The prize could be awarded to an individual student, a group of students or a class in years F-10 for a project that focusses on Australian First Peoples.

Eligibility

Applicants must be undertaking their schooling in Victoria.

Nominations

Students, groups or classes will be nominated by their educators or Koori Engagement Support Officer as appropriate. Applications are required to provide:

• a digital or hard copy of the project or, if that is not possible, a detailed description and samples.
• a completed entry form listing name, contact details, signature and date. The closing date for applications is 31 July each year.

Selection process

The Schools Prize for First Peoples’ History will be administered by a judging panel of three members with expertise in education and appointed by the Board of the HCV, consisting of a Board member as chair and including at least one First Nations person. The decision of the panel will be final.

The HCV welcomes enquiries from individuals and organisations that wish to sponsor awards and prizes in areas relating to history and the work of historians. 

The HCV also welcomes donations at any time. All contributions help to support our work towards achieving our cultural purposes. Donations over $2 are deductible for Australian tax-payers.

Entries for the Jane Hansen Prize will open in early 2023.

The Jane Hansen Prize for History Advocacy was established in 2020 to recognise the efforts of a group or individual that has advocated for the value of history, the work of historians and/or the importance of an education in history.

The prize is named in honour of Ms Jane Hansen AO whose passion for history and its advocacy is widely acknowledged. Through the Hansen Little Foundation, which aims to create a legacy of significant and positive change that inspires and enables Australians, Ms Hansen has provided generous philanthropic support for history and historians in a number of organisations, including the History Council of Victoria.

A preview of the form can be viewed here: Preview Form 2022

Background

The winner will be announced in conjunction with the HCV's Annual Lecture in October each year.

An annual prize of $500 is offered. Winners will also be recognised with a certificate, acknowledgement via the HCV’s publications and social media, and year-long membership to the HCV Friends.

Nominations (by others, or by self) will require the submission of examples of the person's advocacy of history (e.g. through radio, tv, newspaper, social media, letter-writing etc.) plus the results and responses.

This prize is administered by the Board of the HCV.

We announced the winner of the inaugural Jane Hansen Prize for Advocacy at our Annual Lecture in October 2021.

You can read our press release here: Jane_Hansen_Prize_for_History_Advocacy_-_Press_release.pdf

The HCV welcomes enquiries from individuals and organisations that wish to sponsor awards and prizes in areas relating to history and the work of historians. 

The HCV also welcomes donations at any time. All contributions help to support our work towards achieving our cultural purposes. Donations over $2 are deductible for Australian tax-payers.

The 2020 Making Public Histories webinar series was presented as a joint initiative of Monash University, the Old Treasury Building and the History Council of Victoria.

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. 

In 2020, the HCV inaugurated the Jane Hansen Prize for History Advocacy.

In 2021, the HCV inaugurated the Lynette Russell Prize for First Peoples' History in Schools.

Many career pathways benefit from the study of history at post-secondary level.

• Where can history take you? Print resource
• Why choose the Humanities? Presentation
• [email protected] - Humanities21 Interview with Historian Alicia Cerreto
• Report on careers of history graduates
• Careers in Humanities resources highlight the key skills that students develop when they study Humanities, as well as the career pathways they can pursue.

The Careers in Humanities resources were created by project partners from the History Teachers’ Association of Victoria, the Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria, Social Education Victoria, the Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools, the History Council of Victoria, Humanities 21, and the Professional Historians Association (Victoria & Tasmania).

The project partners would like to acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government and the Department of Education and Training.