Greater focus on recording oral histories is needed to ensure Corangamite Shire’s history is well documented before it is lost forever.
Heytesbury Historical Society members Gavan Deppeler and Neil Trotter have called on the community to record and retain local history as a matter of priority.
“Educating and communicating the need to retain local history, in particular oral history, is an area of urgent attention,” Mr Deppeler told a meeting of Corangamite Shire’s history groups at Cobden.
Their comments came as history society representatives from Corangamite Shire met to share notes of their challenges and achievements at Cobden recently.
Mr Trotter said a major concern was the loss of oral history. “There is a lot of recorded history put out by individual authors, but little is being done to bring it altogether.”
Mr Deppeler suggested that providing life story books to share with loved ones was a valuable way of encouraging oral storytelling to ensure history was not lost.
Facilitated by Corangamite Shire, the forum also heard about the loss of volunteers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and meeting the challenges of digitisation.
Many groups had experienced a fall in volunteer numbers since the pandemic, yet others found that they gained interest and membership as more people found time to research family history.
Camperdown Historical Society president Rob Wuchatsch said the group maintained its volunteer numbers. “While the enforced break was disruptive to the community, it wasn’t hugely disruptive for the society and allowed some members to take a break.
“It’s important to give volunteers jobs that they feel comfortable in doing. If they are not happy, volunteers will just walk.”
Corangamite Shire Community Development Officer Garry Moorfield provided details about grants opportunities available to the shire’s volunteer-operated history groups and museums.
Members of the community interested in becoming involved are encouraged to contact one of the many historical and heritage groups throughout the Shire.
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Camperdown & District Historical Society Inc.
0417 352 987
