By Stephanie Holliday
THE Tatura and District Historical Society, home to a trove of historical treasures, have received a $40,000 grant to be used for the conservation and restoration of items at their museum in Tatura.
The Living Heritage Program grants support the repair and conservation of ‘at risk’ heritage places and objects identified as being of state significance, and are included in the Victorian Heritage Register under the provision of the Heritage Act 2017.
To determine what pieces were deemed to require conservation efforts, Tatura Museum secretary, George Ferguson, explained how the Grimwade Conservation Services of the University of Melbourne examined, and analysed, the vast collection at the museum to identify 15 particular items in need of conservation efforts.
“All the items are a part of the ‘Tatura World War II Interment & POW Camps Collection’, and the actual work will take up to nine months to complete,” said Mr Ferguson.
Significant items include books, wool and other important textile objects – as identified in the ‘Collection Risk Management Plan’.
“This burgundy wool coat was actually a military coat at first, originally khaki green. This coat and others like it were dyed this dark red shade and given to internees as our winters can be quite cold,” explained Mr Ferguson.
“These items are an important part of our national history; it is vital that we preserve them and can have them displayed for the public to view. The Tatura Internment and P.O.W. Camps Artefact Conservation Program, is supported by the Victorian Government through the Living Heritage Grants Program, and we are grateful to have been recipients of these funds.”
