History on record

Published on 02 March 2022

* Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton (second from left) pictured with Broken Hill City Council Outreach Project Officer Jeannette Thompson, Mayor Tom Kennedy, Community Development Officer Dionne Devlin, Archives Collection Coordinator Eileen Wright and Library Coordinator Tracy Fraser.

From the office of the Hon. Mark Coulton:

The stories of Broken Hill people will be able to be captured and preserved thanks to a grant provided under the second batch of the Coalition Government’s $3 million Culture, Heritage and Arts Regional Tourism (CHART) program.

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said Broken Hill City Council has received $2,551 in funding to undertake its History Alive project.

“Council will use this funding to purchase four voice recorders to enable staff and volunteers to capture the oral history stories of local people,” Mr Coulton said.

“This is a fabulous project that will help safeguard local history for generations to come.

“I’m pleased the Federal Government is supporting the development of cultural tourism experiences that will help to reignite the local economy and participation in the arts as our communities recover from two years of disruptions caused by the pandemic.

“I encourage other arts, cultural and heritage organisations in the Parkes electorate to apply for a CHART program grant today – this will assist us to continue offering appealing cultural tourism experiences in our communities.”

Broken Hill City Council Mayor Tom Kennedy said the oral histories will be recorded in both group settings and individual interviews over the coming months.

"There are so many colourful characters and stories in the Broken Hill population, along with important historical knowledge of our city and its surrounds,” Cr Kennedy said.

"This grant will ensure that the stories and knowledge held by locals will be available for future generations to enjoy and understand."