COPACC has teamed up with the Colac and District Family History Group to provide a free introduction to family history research as part of upcoming show Stardust/The Mission.
Stardust/The Mission is a double bill starring Geelong duo Joel Carnegie and Tom Molyneux, and features original stories written about their family members.
Carnegie’s Stardust chronicles the story of his grandfather Col Brain: a professional trumpet /cornet player and bandmaster. Before Col died, he stored all of his life’s possessions into a wooden dresser and locked it up. So what was inside?
Molyneux’s The Mission explores the history of Allan McDonald: a ‘Fighting Gunditjmara’ man from south-west Victoria, who was one of the state’s first Indigenous soldiers to enlist for war. Allan fought at some of WWI’s most famous campaigns, including Gallipoli and Beersheba – only to be denied a soldier’s settlement on his ultimate return to Australia
COPACC Manager Tamzin McLennan said Stardust/The Mission lent itself perfectly to a partnership with the Colac and District Family History Group.
“Both Joel and Tom have unearthed fascinating stories about their families as part of their research for Stardust/The Mission, and their show is great for people interested in family history and genealogy,” she said.
“Anyone who attends the free family history session will also qualify for a special VIP discount to Stardust/The Mission.”
Colac and District Family History Group Secretary Norma Bakker said that the Colac History Centre at COPACC could provide access to a range of research tools.
“We have church records for baptisms and marriages; hospital inpatients and outpatients records; complete cemetery records; and we can show people how to navigate their way through the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages,” Norma said.
“We also have school enrolment records, some going back to the 1800s, which show who a child’s guardian or parent was, and where they lived.
“Our database has more than 350,000 entries.
“Researching your family history is interesting and engaging – it can be quite an adventure to find out where your family came from,” she said.
