Title: The Thoughtful Ancestor: leaving a large footprint for future generations Synopsis: Researchers spend enormous amounts of time, effort and money on their projects but, if they have not made arrangements before they are dead, the fruits of their labour are likely to end up on a rubbish dump. The purpose of this presentation is to make attendees reflect on their practices and to guide them in making decisions to ensure that their work is preserved for future generations. In this presentation we will cover: Evaluating your collections Cleaning up your files Documenting your wishes Appointing a successor: person or institution Writing up a clear summary of your collection Leaving funds for curation

Title: From the Netherlands to unknown places Synopsis: Through the centuries many Dutch persons and families decided to start a new life in places that were unknown to them. Migration waves are known for the 17th century, the 19th century and the 20th century, Dutch families lived in overseas areas and colonies, but also moved to other countries. Many Australians will find one or more Dutch immigrants among their relatives. This presentation shows participants what records are available to find immigrants from the Netherlands and how to use the information for their own research.

Title: AI Insights - A Case Study of Sam Hope and the 4th Pioneers on the Somme Synopsis: AI tools such as ChatGPT, have begun to revolutionise genealogical research. This case study details the journey to understand Sam Hope’s WW1 experiences, leveraging AI in transcribing and analysing the 4th Pioneers war diaries. We look at how AI handwriting recognition, and AI assisted scripts for extracting and matching place names transform the research process. We reflect on AI's future in genealogy and its potential to streamline processes, enhance historical discoveries, and enrich researchers' abilities.

Title: Leaving home, Finding home: Bavaria to New South Wales and Queensland. Synopsis: This presentation will explore what happens when a large cluster of families and individuals (66 adults and children) leave a small Bavarian village for the distant eastern shores of New South Wales. What were their experiences en route and, more importantly, how did their lives change in their new country? How did these immigrants adapt to Australia’s colonial life in the mid-19th century? In the presentation we will look at language, longevity, land, naturalisation, linkages with family and friends, and religious affiliations. Their challenges, triumphs, and tragedies present a type of reverse one place study and reflect on the diaspora from Bavaria to Australia.

Title: Revealing a Chinese Enigma – Who, What, Where, When, Why, How & Serendipity. Synopsis: This presentation will highlight the benefits of researching the context of a subject’s life – time, place, events and people – using as a principal example the author’s ancestor, William You Lye, a Chinese Shepherd. He was brought to Australia to work a five-year contract in a cheap labour scheme that ran between 1848 and 1853. Extended research can provide an understanding of their challenges, choices, activities, and possibly lead to new information. Starting with a few scant details. You Lye’s story would not have been unearthed without learning about the history of his birthplace in Amoy, his Queensland home and the people of the communities in which he lived. Information about a few aspects of researching the Chinese that are helpful to know beforehand, as well as relevant sources of information, will be available. After years of researching the indentured men, the author has identified more than 200, and is in the process of contributing to a new database which will be publicly available in the future.

Title: The Holland Park Camp: A Community History Synopsis: This presentation is based upon a capstone research project completed for a Master of History degree at the University of New England in 2022, which aims to recreate the lived experience of the post-war temporary housing camp at Holland Park, Brisbane. Operating from 1946 to 1955 and at its maximum capacity housing approximately 555 families, this once stark reminder of post-war economic and social frugality in suburban Brisbane has been lost to modern eyes amidst the inevitable progress of urban development. By applying and analysing a range of eyewitness testimonies as reported in the press of the time, rich documentary and photographic sources, as well as oral history interviews conducted with two of the presenter’s relatives who formerly resided in the camp, a picture will develop of the intra- and inter-social factors which operated in respect of this community, and those it neighboured. As a study of local history and post-war migration experiences, this presentation will examine the influence of welfare and charitable organisations at the Holland Park camp, its role in wider political concerns and opinions on the future of Queensland’s social housing, community attitudes towards the camp, stigma and racism, conditions of deprivation and hardship, perceptions of delinquency amongst youth, and the internal civic identity residents developed. As a project for exploring a significant influence within the presenter’s family history, it will survey the physical imprint of the Holland Park camp, the scarcity of archival records relating to its human story, and personal testimony of the dichotomy of experiences which could be faced by those who dwelled within the camp’s perimeter.

Title: Connecting Social History, local history and family history on St Helena Island. Synopsis: The St Helena Island Community combines family history with local historical research to build a broader and more accurate picture of the social history of St Helena Island. This presentation showcases the work done by the St Helena Island Community to share original research via blogs, website and written profiles using examples from First Nations history, prisoners and warders. It also discusses the establishment of the new SHIC digital database and some of the detailed research information available through this.

Title: Breathing Life into the ANZAC Fallen: Primary Research Innovation, Sources and Case Study (George Henry Jones Davies (1888-1917) Synopsis: On 24th Jan 1916, my Grandfather’s cousin George Henry Jones Davies strolled up to the recruiting station in Coffs Harbour, diverting him from his chosen path as a Methodist Missionary towards an untimely and violent death only 18 months later. I have spent the last two years researching his time with the Australian Imperial Force’s 36th Battalion, and the circumstances surrounding his demise at the Battle of Messines on 12th July 1917, whilst conducting the battlefield burial service of a friend and comrade. This presentation explains the process, use of technical innovation (drones, 360degree cameras, 3D mapping...) and the range of documentary sources which bit by bit brought my ancestor back to life. I cover the invaluable resources available at the Australian War Memorial Library, and the National Archives of Australia. In my case, George left a 180-page personal diary from which I could add his voice to the factual records which revealed his precise movements and the plans governing his battalion’s future: 1. ‘Unit War Diaries’ at Battalion, Brigade and Division level. 2. Trench maps for both the dates and location; the best source being the Western Front Association’s online ‘Trenchmapper’. 3. With its latest iteration you can use it live in the field to see where you are and which former trenches you are standing near 4. Red Cross witness statements concerning battlefield deaths. Another vital source is the pool of immense knowledge held by experts in the Great War Forum. Certain Australian individuals from the Forum transformed my grasp of the information I had and added documentary evidence I never dreamt of unearthing.

Title: The Tapestry of Migration Records Synopsis: Responding to faster and cheaper European migration to North America, Australian colonial governments offered incentives, including bounties to those who brought suitable migrants to their colonies. Discover the evolving criteria and subsidies offered by the bounty schemes targeted to attract specific migrant demographics. Examine the wealth of documents spawned by these schemes, from migrants' reference submissions to post-arrival interviews. Learn how these records not only validated eligibility for government incentives but also provided a window to family connections and the lives migrants left behind.

Title: ‘Far away to a strange land’ – the 1863 voyage of the Mermaid to New Zealand Synopsis: 15 November 1863, the wooden clipper ship Mermaid set sail from London with 280 assisted immigrants on board. Destination: New Zealand. One of those travelling was Thomas Keir, a 24-year-old labourer from Forfarshire, who left a journal describing the voyage and the first few months in his new home. Through his words, and supported by other accounts, this talk follows the Mermaid and her passengers’ 93-day journey to the other side of the world.

Title: The Faces of Croydon: Chinese-Aboriginal genealogy on a sign Synopsis: From the 1880s until World War I, there was a significant Chinese population in Croydon — a hard rock gold mining town in Queensland’s Gulf Country. This presentation discusses the challenges in tracing, and then representing the stories of Chinese people who came to the area, their relationships, often with Aboriginal women, and their descendants. This signage project was created as part of the renewal of the state heritage listed Chinese temple and settlement site situated on the outskirts of the Croydon township. Janis’s next project is creating a sound trail for the site, which will add a depth to the stories through the voices of descendants.

Title: Soldier Settlement: success or failure? And how to discover your ancestor's experience. Synopsis: Soldier settlement, as one of a range of post-World War I repatriation programs, was intended to reward soldiers for their service and support their reintegration into civilian life, however, the prevailing sentiment is that the scheme was a failure politically and economically as well as for the individual settlers. Inspired by wanting to know more about her grandfather’s soldier settler experience, the presenter undertook a micro-study of the Boyneside (Queensland) Soldier Settlement that included following the life course of the selectors in this community. The study revealed that there were positive outcomes for the returned servicemen and the local community, some of which have endured into the present day suggesting that there are important elements of success in the scheme.

Title: Unravelling the travelling: far-flung forebears Synopsis: Many migrants to the antipodean colonies had already changed their place of residence within their own or neighbouring countries or arrived in Australia on their way somewhere else. This presentation, engaging familiar nursery rhymes to investigate concepts raised by ‘double migration’ – embraces those peripatetic people who continued wandering, steering and scattering family groupings in exotic destinations for descendant historians to disentangle. What components contributed to their roving, how did they achieve it and where do we find clues about, or solutions to, their fascination for a nomadic lifestyle?

Title: Proclaimed as a rebel to the government: Researching Irish Rebels in Australia Synopsis: In 1798 cries of death or liberty rang out across Ireland. Fighting for religious freedom, captured rebels were transported to Australia between 1800 – 1806. Without a Catholic Priest until 1820, and pre-civil registration, this significant demographic in Australian history is difficult to research. Using a case study approach, this presentation will profile rebel leader Andrew Byrne who arrived in Australia in 1800. When Andrew died in 1863, the dreaded word “unknown” was inked into the space for his parents on his death certificate. This presentation will explain the technical concepts of causal attribution and syllogisms which support researchers using indirect and negative evidence. These concepts, together with a dash of Irish luck, revealed the names of his parents. Sources of significance to the rebels, such as the Rebellion papers, will be showcased. This presentation will help researchers find and analyse clues to unlock hidden information. These skills can be applied beyond Irish rebel research.

Title: Mining the archives for local history Synopsis: Much of local history is buried within the many records held in local, state and federal archives. But it is not always a straightforward matter of searching for the place name which may have changed over time. Think Sandhurst and Bendigo. It is more a question of asking what functions were carried out in the locality. Education, police, farming, mining, local government and a host of other activities. The place name may not be mentioned in series titles or item lists. How best to search for local history in the archives? Come along and find out.

Title: Social Media Savvy for History Buffs: A Hands-On Workshop Synopsis: Many history groups and not-for-profit heritage organisations feel overwhelmed by social media and community engagement. This interactive workshop, built and run by the marketing team from Brisbane Living Heritage, is designed specifically for history buffs working in non-profit organisations. We'll break down the benefits of social media for history groups, from wider community engagement to improved event promotion. Even with limited resources, you can learn to leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to tell your organisation's story and connect with new audiences. Through hands-on activities and discussions, you'll gain practical tips for crafting engaging content, scheduling posts, and fostering online communities. We'll also explore free and affordable tools to simplify your social media management. Leave feeling empowered to use social media as a valuable tool for your historical organisation.

Title: They were There: Situating your family history within its broader historical context Synopsis: My family history research has thus far taken me to places, events and connections to people well beyond my wildest expectations. These situational contexts are ones that you learn about or made aware of from childhood. They are ones that you may be exposed to through your formal learning journeys at school and university. This was so in my case, but never did I at that time ever imagine that I would have a personal connection to those events and places. It was only through my family history research that I came to realise that my ancestors not only lived through some major world and national events that have shaped our present day lives but they also were active participants in those events and in some cases helped to shape their outcomes. My family history inquiries have situated my research within the broader Australian historical context of the second half of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century. This personal research has also reached into a number of narrow windows of the more extensive Chinese history. My family history research has helped me to gain a deeper appreciation and another perspective of Australian history to that which I was taught during my early schooling, and which has remained largely unchanged today even for my grandchildren. In particular, it has given me a fuller understanding of the contribution that my ancestors have made to Australia’s development and their previous role in Chinese history. The historical context in which I can situate my various ancestors, and their stories varies across many themes and geographical scales. Regardless however, they all form part of a broader historical narrative which in most cases occurs over a number of geographical scales, from the local to the global. I will use a number of case studies drawn from my family history research to demonstrate my ancestors’ connections and contribution to the broader historical context.

Title: Beyond the Pen: AI- Assisted Ancestral Storytelling Synopsis: A step-by-step process for preparing your ancestral stories in collaboration with AI tools. An exploration of the tools for innovative sharing in your family history archive at We Are. xyz.

Title: ‘All they wanted was good treatment’: understanding the Irish Workhouse orphan girls Synopsis: In just three years, 1848-1850, 4114 young women aged between 13 and 19 were given free passages from the workhouse in every county in Ireland to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Who were they and what was the personal outcome for these brave adolescents to agreed to cross the world in the middle of the Irish Famine? This paper will provide a glimpse of their circumstances in Ireland and their eventual lives and the families they formed in Australia. What can you find and what remains forever hidden in time and the trauma of emigration?

Title: Uncovering Forgotten Women Synopsis: The Queensland Women’s Historical Association (QWHA), which owns the heritage-listed Miegunyah House Museum at Bowen Hills in Brisbane, holds an extensive collection of artefacts and archives. The collection represents Queensland families from the earliest days of colonisation, with a special emphasis on women’s histories. Our speaker will be Sharyn Merkley, a volunteer member of the Archives Team. Our presentation will include case studies that show how unlocking clues within the collection enables us to reconstruct the lives of both ordinary and extraordinary women. Determined to give forgotten women a voice, we delve deep into their lives and use modern family-history techniques to write them back into history. With its museum collection, library and local history archives, often reaching far beyond Queensland, the QWHA is a rich resource for family historians. We continue to collect, catalogue, index and digitise information about hundreds of Queensland women. We’ll share the challenges, successes, and relevance of a local history association to genealogy and family history. During the conference, the QWHA website will provide additional stories of the lives of some of Queensland’s forgotten women.

Title: Artificial Intelligence in Family History: Friend or Foe? Synopsis: Where Are We At? Recent Developments in AI A summary of significant advancements and trends in AI over the past two years, specifically in the context of genealogy including a discussion on the impact of these developments on data analysis, record accuracy, and user accessibility. Role of AI in Family History and its Adoption Overview of the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in family history and its dual role as both a facilitator and a challenge. Including a introduction to AI as part of a continuum in technology adoption, reflecting varying comfort levels among researchers. AI as a Facilitator in Genealogy Exploration of how AI enhances data analysis, aiding in the decoding of complex historical records. Presentation of specific AI tools that assist in revealing and predicting familial connections. The Efficiency Gains from AI Exploration of the quantitative and qualitative benefits of AI in genealogy: speed, accuracy, and pattern recognition. Examples of time-saving tools and methodologies facilitated by AI.

Title: Revealing the Huguenots: Their Diaspora, Their Descendants, and My Own Personal Discoveries Synopsis: The presentation should appeal broadly to those interested in European history and genealogy, and more specifically to those with, or potentially with, Huguenot ancestry, who may wish to know how to research this. It is intended to produce a handout/research guide to accompany this presentation. The presentation will cover five main topics: 1. The historical background to the people known to history as Huguenots – where were they from, what did they believe, why did they become involved in conflict, and why did so many leave their homeland? 2. Where did those who left go? – why did they go to certain countries, how did they get there, what did they do when they got there? 3. Researching Huguenot ancestry – how to discover if you have (or might have) Huguenot ancestors. The various research tools available (physical and online) and how to use them. Live online demonstrations will be incorporated into the presentation (assuming Internet access). 4. Some Australians with known Huguenot ancestry, and how they have contributed to Australian society. A brief rundown only. 5. My own research journey to uncover my Huguenot ancestors – a story totally unknown to my family till research uncovered it. The steps I followed, and the sources I used. Questions and answers will of course be welcome.

Title: Amoy or Canton? Shepherd or goldminer? Researching Chinese ancestors in Queensland Synopsis: Between 1848 and 1853, approximately 900 Chinese indentured labourers (‘coolies’) were imported by squatters and pastoralists to Moreton Bay to work as shepherds, labourers and servants. As the vessels sailed from Amoy (now Xiamen) in Fujian province, the Chinese labourers they carried have become commonly known as ‘Amoy shepherds’. By 1861, the Chinese population of Queensland had fallen to 538, but by 1871 it had increased to 3,305 following the discovery of gold in Gympie in 1867. Queensland’s biggest goldrush followed the discovery of gold at the Palmer River in 1873 and by 1877 there were 18,000 Chinese residents on the Palmer goldfield. This presentation will include case studies and biographies; provide essential historical background helping you to determine when and why your Chinese ancestors came to Queensland; and detail records and sources to help you with your research.

Title: Paper to Pixels: Digitising Your Genealogical Records Synopsis: This presentation will highlight practical strategies to help genealogists transition their genealogical records from physical to digital formats. Attendees will learn that digitising records brings numerous benefits, such as ‘anytime, anywhere’ access, new data mining capabilities as well as the ease of sharing files with family members and collaborators. In summary, this presentation is about working smarter not harder and learning how to future-proof genealogy research. The presentation will include, among other things, Preparing for Digitisation, Scanning and Digitising, Storing and Managing as well as making the Most of your Digital Archive.

Title: ‘Land for the people’: Researching Irish Agrarian Ancestors in 19th Century Ireland Synopsis: The 19th century was a transformative period in Irish history. From the Act of Union in 1801, the Famine in the middle part of the century and the growth of Home Rule as a political movement. However, alongside these pivotal events there was a growing movement to change the system of land ownership in Ireland. Most Irish at the time were tenant farmers with little protection against powerful landlords. This talk will look at how the issue of land was central to life in this period. The talk will also explore the contribution of the land issue to Irish immigration, sometimes as voluntary migrants seeking a better life abroad, and other times as convicts deported for their role in opposing what they saw as an unjust system. Some of the sources examined will include estate rental rolls, membership records, land valuations and tithe defaulter lists.

Title: A Journey of Necessity - Why did they come? Synopsis: The first immigrants to Australia had no choice - they were convicts. Others that followed had many and varied motives for choosing to come to a land on the other side of the world. Many family and local historians would be well aware of the Irish Famine which sparked widespread immigration to the United States of America and Australia. Some would be aware of the effect of the Scottish Highland Clearances on immigration and others of religious and political motivations. This presentation aims to reveal to researcher’s other motivations for the immigration of their ancestors. The presentation will show how external international events and internal politics in England and Germany started a chain of events which had a deeply personal effect on three immigrant families to Australia. Their stories have been gleaned from newspaper accounts, government documents and family myths, and will illustrate how their lives and those of their families were changed by events out of their control.

Title: Theodore, Queensland: “the design to lift land settlement to a higher plane” and to build “the first model garden city of Australia” Synopsis: In December 1926 Castle Creek in Queensland became Theodore. Accompanying this name change were hopes for a grand planned development which would form part of the Australian dream of irrigating the outback and building a modern, beautiful place to live. The intention of this presentation is to discuss those plans and how they unfolded. It also includes an examination of the possibility that Walter Burley Griffin designed or influenced Theodore’s The Boulevard.

Title: It wasn’t what you knew, it’s who you knew Synopsis: A case study of an immigrant middle-class English boy’s colonial experience in central western Queensland and the network of family connections that drove his success. Researching the life of one man led to the discovery of an extensive web of family and business relationships across central western Queensland from 1887 to the mid 20th century. This talk demonstrates how the links were discovered, the resources used, and the patterns uncovered that show how colonists supported each other to maximise their chance of success when opportunities arose.

Title: Scattered Leaves, Indelible Bonds: The Diaspora of Six Irish Sisters Synopsis: Migration stories embody resilience, adaptation, and enduring ties. This presentation delves into such narratives through the lives of six Irish sisters in the nineteenth century, a period marked by famine (An Gorta Mór) and widespread migration from Ireland. It charts the varied experiences of these women—five who emigrated to America, Australia, and Fiji while one remained in Ireland—highlighting how migration reshaped their identities yet preserved their familial bonds. Drawing from a rich archive of personal letters, diaries, newspaper articles, emigration, land, and church records, this presentation meticulously reconstructs the sisters' lives. Through compelling storytelling and vivid visuals, it illustrates how they maintained connections despite vast distances and societal changes in their new homes. The narrative offers an immersive experience with interactive elements, such as case study analyses of the sisters' lives, encouraging deep engagement with the material and reflection on the strategies and lesser-known resources pivotal for following the movements of families across continents. By tracing the diverse paths of these sisters, the presentation underscores the profound impact of migration on identity and the enduring significance of ancestral ties in shaping diasporic experiences. This exploration enriches our understanding of heritage and identity, seen through the eyes of six Irish women. It highlights the lasting bonds that connect us to our past, informing present-day discussions on migration and diaspora.

Title: Bloodlines: genealogy, legal categories, DNA testing and contemporary Torres Strait Islander identity Synopsis: An outsider traces some of the multiple strands of Torres Strait Islander identity from the 18th to the 21st century. The pre-contact affiliation to totem and territory is being reclaimed, albeit in different form and within a different context, but claiming Torres Strait Islander identity among mainland-born Islanders can be complicated by the once widespread traditional customs of adoption, multiple naming and name exchange. Added to this are significant rates of out-marriage and the reconciliation of family stories with the oral and written record. Some of the historical events that have contributed to Torres Strait and ‘Blak’ identity include the late 18th century commercial fisheries, Christianity and colonialism; pre-war protection-era legal categories; and large-scale post-war emigration. As a result, almost all Islanders today have Aboriginal, Pacific Islander, Asian and/or European heritage and, as their elders pass away, so do their stories. Young Islanders’ search for family connection is complicated by historical amnesia, long-held secrets and the often-surprising results of DNA testing.

Title: Delving into place: Local History enhances genealogy Synopsis: Researching family history is more than just finding the hatch, match and dispatch dates! None of our ancestors existed in isolation as they lived, worked and played within networks in their communities. Changes in the local community had a direct impact on the lives of those within the community. Researching the local/social history of your ancestral areas can answer the why of ancestral actions. Employment or lack thereof, new industries/changing occupations, coming of the railway, natural disasters etc all will have an impact on your ancestral networks and direct impacts on your genealogical research.

Title: Children on Board Synopsis: Children on board: the forgotten children who accompanied their convict parents to Van Diemen’s Land. Children have always been part of the convict story, if not always a visible one. Very little work has been done on the children of convicts and even less on the children who accompanied their convict parents. These childhoods are not easily nearly 2000 free children accompanied convict parents to Van Diemen’s Land. Some died during the voyage. Most were incarcerated in the bleak and miserable Orphan School on arrival in Hobart Town. Some were never reunited with their parents. They are a neglected part of the convict story. These childhoods are not easily retrieved. This presentation examines some of the sources which can used to tell the stories of these children.

Title: The New Settlers League: helping immigrants “live happily ever after”. Synopsis: After the turmoil of the First World War, the Australian government sought to protect its sparsely populated shores from future invasion by focusing on a vast and rapid increase of settlement through immigration. To help accomplish this objective the Commonwealth government funded the establishment of a volunteer organisation, the New Settlers League of Australia (NSLA). The league’s role was to promote immigration and to welcome and provide a broad range of assistance to immigrants. The NSLA’s first branch was established in Victoria in March 1921, with Queensland following in July. Among the state NSLA divisions, Queensland was remarkable for its longevity and success. This was due to the commitment of dedicated members who worked tirelessly (almost all without remuneration) to help accomplish the Commonwealth and Queensland governments’ objective to populate Queensland, largely along the coast. In this presentation, as we delve into the League’s records held at Queensland State Archives, I will acquaint you with some of the dedicated people who supported the governments’ immigration drive. Also, through a few selected case studies the voices of some of the many immigrants that received assistance from the NSLA will also emerge. Their stories illustrate the NSLA’s records as a little-known but rich source of information for family historians to explore.

Title: Documents of control: The long arm of the White Australia Policy Synopsis: The National Archives holds the largest collection of migration records in Australia. These documents reveal heart-warming stories of new beginnings and reunited families, but also detail the unsettling experiences of those governed by restrictive migration policies in the early to mid-twentieth century. One such policy was the White Australia Policy, also known as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901. The policy succeeded in its aim of limiting the numbers of ‘non-white’ migrants to Australia, but what is perhaps less recognised is the restrictions it placed on those of non-European heritage born or already established in the country. Between 1916 and 1926, and again between 1939 and 1971, migrants to Australia who were not British subjects had restrictions placed on them in the interest of Australia's national security. These migrants, or 'aliens', had to be registered and report all changes of name, address, job or marital status. For those who were not of ‘British stock’, travel to and from Australia could result in being denied re-entry. During the First and Second World Wars, Australia interned ‘enemy aliens’ from countries at war with Australia. These newly classified ‘enemy aliens’ were interned based solely on their nationality, even if they were born in Australia, and even if they had done no wrong. This presentation will explore the extensive records of the National Archives relating to the White Australia Policy, including the notorious dictation test used to exclude unwanted subjects, and will draw on personal case studies from the collection. This will provide family historians with undiscovered sources of information and an understanding of the historical context behind this system of migration control.

Title: Women of the Artemisia: The First Government Assisted Free Settlers to Moreton Bay 1848 Synopsis: The Artemisia arrived in mid-December 1848 carrying the first government assisted free immigrants to Moreton Bay. Her cargo of mechanics, labourers, and workers was desperately needed. These men brought with them wives, daughters and sisters, and yet not much is known about the women of the Artemisia. Too often in colonial histories there is a preponderance of generalizations, of epic stories, and famous men. One hundred and eleven passengers were recorded as having an occupation. The rest were described as ‘children’ or ‘wives’. The lives and connections of these women should be highlighted. This presentation combines the talents of an experienced historian, and a professional storyteller, highlighted by video clips and illustrations. Based on solid historical foundations, this presentation crafts an inclusive and interesting narrative, telling the personal historical perspectives, experiences, and life stories of the women of the Artemisia. Although these stories are especially pertinent to the women of the Artemisia they are universally significant historically in a colonial past, as well as in the future, because they reveal challenges and experiences faced by many women everywhere.

Title: Revisiting Local History: Using digital mapping to write a new local history Synopsis: Local histories in the past have often overlooked the marginalised, the women, First Nations peoples and non-European settlers. This presentation takes another look at the local history of the northern Flinders Ranges and shows how by using Family History methodologies, digital resources and GIS technology it is possible to create an inclusive and accessible interactive local history.