The Victorian Community History Awards were presented online on the 28th of October by Public Record Office Victoria in partnership with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. See below for the full list of winners and commendations:
Victorian Premier’s History Award
• WINNER Printed on Stone: The Lithographs of Charles Troedel by Amanda Scardamaglia
Judges’ Special Prize
• WINNER Visions of Victoria: The Magic of Kodachrome Film, 1950-1975 by Nick Anchen
Collaborative Community History Award winner and commendations
• WINNER In the Name of Theatre: The History, Culture and Voices of Amateur Theatre in Victoria by Cheryl Threadgold
• Rock on Murchison, Murchison and District Historical Society
• Geelong’s Changing Landscape: Ecology, Development and Conservation, David s. Jones and Phillip B. Roös
• Montague: A Community Lost and Found, City of Port Phillip
• Cape Otway Lightstation: WWII Memories, Cape Otway Lightstation and the Victorian RAAF Radar Association
Local History Project Award winner and commendations
• WINNER Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat: Remembering the Pakenham District’s WW2 Service Personnel, 1939‒1945 by Patrick Ferry with Wally Nye, Berwick‒Pakenham Historical Society & Pakenham RSL
• “Bonleigh” Grand Dame, Beloved Home, Abigail Belfrage
• The POWER of Water: The History of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme, Kiewa Valley Historical Society
• Mining Mud & Medals, Damien Finlayson, Clare Gervasoni, Simon Jacks, Dr Janice Newton, Dr Michael Taffe
• Clunes Cemetery, Victoria. Headstone Register 1861-2020 (Vol. 1 Presbyterian section), Peter Spark
History Publication Award winner and commendations
• WINNER Maldon: A New History 1853‒1928 by Brian Rhule
• Solicitors and the Law Institute in Victoria 1835-2019: Pathway to a Respected Profession, Simon Smith
• The Invention of Melbourne: A Baroque Archbishop and a Gothic Architect, book and Old Treasury Building exhibition catalogue by Jaynie Anderson, Max Vodola, Shane Carmody
• Maurice Blackburn: Champion of the People, David Day
• Democratic Adventurer: Graham Berry and the Making of Australian Politics, Sean Scalmer
• The Accidental Town: Castlemaine, 1851-1861, Marjorie Theobald
• The Totem Poles of Ouyen United: Travels in Country Footy, Paul Daffey
Local History Small Publication Award winner and commendations
• WINNER Gariwerd: An Environmental History of the Grampians by Benjamin Wilkie
• The Convent: A City Finds its Heart, Stuart Kells
• Gita: Melbourne’s First Yoga School – 65 Years of History, Fay Woodhouse
• The Case of Eichengruen-Edwards and Continental Tyres, Andrew J. Kilsby
• Breaking New Ground: Biographies of Women Agricultural Science Students, University of Melbourne 1942-1965, Helen Billman-Jacobe and Ann Westmore
• Fire on the Plateau: A History of Fire and its Management in Stanley, Jacqui Durrant
Community Diversity Award winner and commendations
• WINNER The Boîte: History Through Music, Song and Story by Jen Rose, Well Chosen Words in partnership with The Boîte
• Journeys into Chinese Australian Family History, Sophie Couchman
• When the Past Awakens: A Mother’s Pain, Maria Avraam and Helena Kidd
• A Networked Community: Jewish Melbourne in the Nineteenth Century, Sue Silberberg
• No Regards for the Truth: Friendship and Kindness. Tragedy and Injustice. Rowville’s Italian Prisoners of War, Darren Arnott
Digital Storytelling Award two winners and commendations
• WINNER La Mama: The Biggest Little Theatre in Australia by Rachel Fensham and Andrew Fuhrmann for the Digital Studio at University of Melbourne and Digital Heritage Australia
• WINNER Misadventure in Little Lon by Emma Ramsay and Andy Yong
• Ask a Survivor, Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne
• Designing a Legacy, Tim Ross
• Reimagining the Women’s Mural – A Digital Tour, Her Place Women’s Museum Australia, the Women’s Mural Documentation Project in collaboration with the artists of the original 1986 mural, From Bonboniere to Barbed Wire, Megan Evans and Eve Glenn
Historical Interpretation Award winner and commendations
• WINNER Annie’s War: The Story of One Boroondara Family’s Wartime Experience by Lucy Bracey, illustrated by Gregory Mackay
• Jewish Holocaust Centre Virtual Tour, Lisa Phillips, Jennifer Levitt Maxwell, Robbi Simons, Gozer Studio
• Colour and Fantasy, Australia’s First Colonial Art Potters 1896-1910, Gregory Hill, curator of the exhibition at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre
• A Guide to Historic St Kilda, David Willis with photography by Dimitri Bonatakis
• Munitions Industry Commemoration Heritage Panels, Melbourne Living Museum of the West
• Heritage Walks for the Time of COVID-19 Social Distancing, Springthorpe Heritage Group
Oral History Award winner and commendations
Presented in collaboration with Oral History Victoria
• WINNER Out of the Madhouse: From Asylums to Caring Community? by Sandy Jeffs and Margaret Leggatt
• Memories of the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force 1951-1977, Jessica Ferrari
• Cockatoo – Voices from the Past, Dot Griffin, Jan Shaw, Ruth South, Arthur Wintle
History Article Award winner and commendations
• WINNER Woman’s Sphere Remodelled: A Spatial History of the Victorian Woman’s Christian Temperance Union 1887‒1914 by Ruby Ekkel
• Mogullumbidj: First People of Mount Buffalo, Jacqui Durrant
• Cremorne Gardens, Gold-rush Melbourne, and the Victorian-era Pleasure Garden, 1853-63, James Lesh
• “I am proud of them all & we all have suffered.” World War I, the Australian War Memorial and a Family in War and Peace, Alexandra McKinnon
Watch the award ceremony here:
Resources:
• Download images for all shortlisted works
• Download the 2020 Victorian Community History Awards booklet
• Read the media release
• For more information on the Victorian Community History Awards, or to request any changes or additions to this page, email Tara Oldfield at media@prov.vic.gov.au
The Victorian Community History Awards are supported by the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund.