Title: Mining the archives for local history Synopsis: Much of local history is buried within the many records held in local, state and federal archives. But it is not always a straightforward matter of searching for the place name which may have changed over time. Think Sandhurst and Bendigo. It is more a question of asking what functions were carried out in the locality. Education, police, farming, mining, local government and a host of other activities. The place name may not be mentioned in series titles or item lists. How best to search for local history in the archives? Come along and find out.

Title: Soldier Settlement: success or failure? And how to discover your ancestor's experience. Synopsis: Soldier settlement, as one of a range of post-World War I repatriation programs, was intended to reward soldiers for their service and support their reintegration into civilian life, however, the prevailing sentiment is that the scheme was a failure politically and economically as well as for the individual settlers. Inspired by wanting to know more about her grandfather’s soldier settler experience, the presenter undertook a micro-study of the Boyneside (Queensland) Soldier Settlement that included following the life course of the selectors in this community. The study revealed that there were positive outcomes for the returned servicemen and the local community, some of which have endured into the present day suggesting that there are important elements of success in the scheme.

Title: Breathing Life into the ANZAC Fallen: Primary Research Innovation, Sources and Case Study (George Henry Jones Davies (1888-1917) Synopsis: On 24th Jan 1916, my Grandfather’s cousin George Henry Jones Davies strolled up to the recruiting station in Coffs Harbour, diverting him from his chosen path as a Methodist Missionary towards an untimely and violent death only 18 months later. I have spent the last two years researching his time with the Australian Imperial Force’s 36th Battalion, and the circumstances surrounding his demise at the Battle of Messines on 12th July 1917, whilst conducting the battlefield burial service of a friend and comrade. This presentation explains the process, use of technical innovation (drones, 360degree cameras, 3D mapping...) and the range of documentary sources which bit by bit brought my ancestor back to life. I cover the invaluable resources available at the Australian War Memorial Library, and the National Archives of Australia. In my case, George left a 180-page personal diary from which I could add his voice to the factual records which revealed his precise movements and the plans governing his battalion’s future: 1. ‘Unit War Diaries’ at Battalion, Brigade and Division level. 2. Trench maps for both the dates and location; the best source being the Western Front Association’s online ‘Trenchmapper’. 3. With its latest iteration you can use it live in the field to see where you are and which former trenches you are standing near 4. Red Cross witness statements concerning battlefield deaths. Another vital source is the pool of immense knowledge held by experts in the Great War Forum. Certain Australian individuals from the Forum transformed my grasp of the information I had and added documentary evidence I never dreamt of unearthing.

Title: AI Insights - A Case Study of Sam Hope and the 4th Pioneers on the Somme Synopsis: AI tools such as ChatGPT, have begun to revolutionise genealogical research. This case study details the journey to understand Sam Hope’s WW1 experiences, leveraging AI in transcribing and analysing the 4th Pioneers war diaries. We look at how AI handwriting recognition, and AI assisted scripts for extracting and matching place names transform the research process. We reflect on AI's future in genealogy and its potential to streamline processes, enhance historical discoveries, and enrich researchers' abilities.

Title: Documents of control: The long arm of the White Australia Policy Synopsis: The National Archives holds the largest collection of migration records in Australia. These documents reveal heart-warming stories of new beginnings and reunited families, but also detail the unsettling experiences of those governed by restrictive migration policies in the early to mid-twentieth century. One such policy was the White Australia Policy, also known as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901. The policy succeeded in its aim of limiting the numbers of ‘non-white’ migrants to Australia, but what is perhaps less recognised is the restrictions it placed on those of non-European heritage born or already established in the country. Between 1916 and 1926, and again between 1939 and 1971, migrants to Australia who were not British subjects had restrictions placed on them in the interest of Australia's national security. These migrants, or 'aliens', had to be registered and report all changes of name, address, job or marital status. For those who were not of ‘British stock’, travel to and from Australia could result in being denied re-entry. During the First and Second World Wars, Australia interned ‘enemy aliens’ from countries at war with Australia. These newly classified ‘enemy aliens’ were interned based solely on their nationality, even if they were born in Australia, and even if they had done no wrong. This presentation will explore the extensive records of the National Archives relating to the White Australia Policy, including the notorious dictation test used to exclude unwanted subjects, and will draw on personal case studies from the collection. This will provide family historians with undiscovered sources of information and an understanding of the historical context behind this system of migration control.

Title: A Journey of Necessity - Why did they come? Synopsis: The first immigrants to Australia had no choice - they were convicts. Others that followed had many and varied motives for choosing to come to a land on the other side of the world. Many family and local historians would be well aware of the Irish Famine which sparked widespread immigration to the United States of America and Australia. Some would be aware of the effect of the Scottish Highland Clearances on immigration and others of religious and political motivations. This presentation aims to reveal to researcher’s other motivations for the immigration of their ancestors. The presentation will show how external international events and internal politics in England and Germany started a chain of events which had a deeply personal effect on three immigrant families to Australia. Their stories have been gleaned from newspaper accounts, government documents and family myths, and will illustrate how their lives and those of their families were changed by events out of their control.