2022-23 ACT Heritage Grants


17th September 2022
By Cheryl Bollard
FHACT receives funding for new Canberra Tracks AR videos and the Father Brian Maher project

The ACT Heritage Minister, Rebecca Vassarotti announced last week that FHACT had received funding for two 2022-23 Heritage projects.

The Canberra Tracks Augmented Reality project will develop content on ten well known Canberra pioneers for the Canberra Tracks scheme. It is an exciting opportunity to combine family history skills with augmented reality technology.  The pioneers chosen this year include Harry Curran at Ginninderra Blacksmith’s workshop, Harry (Henry Thomas) Oldfield at Athllon Homestead, Hector McIntosh at Callum Brae and Hilda McIntosh at Ainslie Post Office site.  FHACT will research and produce short videos about the pioneers, which will be accessed from the existing sign boards at sites along the Tracks.

 We also received funding to complete the digitising and indexing of the Father Brian Maher collection. This collection contains material on the early Catholic settlers of the ACT and surrounding region. As the final part of a two-year project FHACT will be scanning and indexing around half of the collection. The project will provide better search capabilities and easier access for the collection, ensuring its use long into the future. It also offers a chance for volunteers to learn more about Canberra's early pioneering families.

The success of these projects will depend on the skills and time of our members. We are looking for people to help with all aspects of the projects, including scanning, research and writing content. It will be a fantastic opportunity to both learn new skills and put hard-earned skills to good use. And… learn more about the history of our beautiful city!

 More details on both projects and how you can be part of them will be available shortly or you can contact treasurer@familyhistoryact.org.au for more information.

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