Local history grants open

One of Victoria’s biggest opportunities for local history buffs has opened for another year running out of the Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV) based in North Melbourne.

Local historians and community groups can apply for a share in $350,000 to preserve, record and share parts of Victoria’s history.

Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson announced the opening of applications on January 11. Each project can apply for up to $15,000.

“The Local History Grants Program is all about supporting our local historians and community groups to showcase and share Victoria’s rich history,” Mr Pearson said.

“We can’t wait to see this year’s history projects and I encourage community groups and budding historians across Victoria to go online and apply for a grant.”

In the last round of local history grants, 53 community groups across Victoria won a share of funding for their projects.

They included the Chinese Australian Family Historians of Victoria for its online database to make Chinese Australian travel records publicly available, and Deaf Children Australia for its work to catalogue its 157-year history.

Other projects funded in recent years include the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) for case studies of Aboriginal incarceration at Old Melbourne Gaol, and Victorian Netball Association to document a century of netball in Victoria.

PROV director and keeper of public records Justine Heazlewood said community groups should consider launching projects and applying for funding.

“We encourage community groups considering an upcoming history or anniversary project – from sports clubs to schools and historical societies – to apply for a grant of up $15,000 as part of the Local History Grants Program,” she said.

Applications close on March 9 •