The Victorian Community History Awards are held annually to recognise the contributions made by Victorians in the preservation of the State’s history, and to recognise excellence in historical research. The effect of the VCHA over the period from 1998 to the present has been the stimulation of community history, the lifting of standards and the fostering of diversity and originality.
The Victorian Community History Awards were established and sponsored in 1997 by Information Victoria. The judges have always been appointed by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, and among the first were Professor Weston Bate, Professor A. G. L. Shaw, and senior journalist at The Age, John Lahey.
Funding was suspended in 2006 to provide additional funds for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. After 2010 Information Victoria Bookshop withdrew support for the program, but after a vigorous campaign by the RHSV for the continuance of the Awards, the Baillieu government accepted a submission from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) to continue the program for a further four-year period.
From 2011 the Awards were administered by the RHSV in partnership with PROV.
In 2012, following consultation between the Public Record Office Victoria and the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, award categories were slightly altered and renamed, as below:
2016: Pam Baragwanath and Ken James for These Walls Speak Volumes. A History of Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria
2015: Meredith Fletcher for Jean Galbraith: writer in a valley
2014: Anne Vale for Exceptional Australian Garden Makers
2013: Robin A Vowels for Victoria’s Iron Lacework The Founders, Part A
2012: Maree Coote for The Art of being Melbourne
2016: Rozzi Bazzani for Hector: the story of Hector Crawford and Crawford Productions
2015: Lucy Sussex for Blockbuster! Fergus Hume & the mystery of the hansom cab
2014: Robert Kenny for Gardens of Fire: an investigative memoir
2013: Olwen Ford for Harvester City: the making of multicultural Sunshine 1939–1975
2012: Paul Strangio for Neither Power Nor Glory: 100 Years of political Labor in Victoria, 1856–1956
2016: Magda Szubanski for Reckoning: A Memoir
2015: Graeme Davison for Lost Relations: fortunes of my family in Australia's Golden Age
2014: Mornington Peninsula Local History Network and Lavender Hill Multimedia for Postcards: Stories from the Mornington Peninsula (DVD)
2013: Judges' Special Prize for Excellence - Rod Charles for A Whirr of Many Wheels. Cycling in Geelong: A chronicle from 1869 to 1980 Volume 1: 1869 to 1914
2012: Judges' Special Prize for Excellence - Lorne Historical Society & Lorne Aireys Inlet P-12 College VCAL Students for Construction of The Great Ocean Road DVD
2016: Ballarat & District Genealogical Society Inc for Home Front Ballarat WW1 (website)
2015: Helen Doyle for Suburbs at War: the Cities of Malvern and Prahran during the Great War
2016: Judith Buckrich for The Village of Ripponlea
2015: Fiona Poulton and Katherine Sheedy for Boroondara Remembers: stories of World War 1
2014: Margaret Bowman for Cultured Colonists: George Alexander Gilbert and His Family, Settlers in Port Phillip
2013: Coleen Bower for Water Races and Tin Mines of the Toora District: A Short History of the Tin Mines at Granite Bar and Toora
2012: Ken McKimmie for Chewton Then and Now: A series of studies investigating change over time in the former Mount Alexander Goldfield town of Forest Creek later known as Chewton
2016: Ian D. Clark (historian) for We Are All of One Blood: a History of the Djabwurrung Aboriginal People of Western Victoria, 1836-1901
2015: Gillian and John Francis for Strewth! An insight into local involvement in World War One, 2 volumes
2014: Marguerita Stephens (et al. for Vol 4) for The Journal of William Thomas, Assistant Protector of the Aborigines of Port Phillip & Guardian of the Aborigines of Victoria, 1839-1867, 4 volumes
2013: Kevin O’Reilly for Flyers of Time: Pioneer Aviation in Country Victoria, The First Fifty Years. A Collection
2012: Mick Woiwod for Coranderrk Database
2015: Discontinued
2014: Not awarded
2013: Not awarded
2012: Chelsea Way for New Horizons: Post-War Migration to Australia
2016: Susan Blackburn (ed) for Breaking Out: Memories of Melbourne in the 1970s
2015: Craig Cormick (ed) for Ned Kelly Under the Microscope: solving the forensic mystery of Ned Kelly's remains
2014: Gerry Robinson and friends for From Apples....to Coffee, the first 90 years of the Heathmont shopping centre, 1923-2013
2013: Maree Hanlon and Pam Herbert (editors) for Through Their Eyes: A Glimpse into the Lives of Women from Benalla & District
2012: Lyn Skillern and others for From Inkwell to Internet: a century of State Secondary Education in Leongatha
2016: Rural City of Wangaratta for We Remember: honouring the service and sacrifice of local veterans and the Wangaratta community during WW1 (website & DVD)
2015: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society for Postcards from Port: an audiovisual retrospective of Port Melbourne (DVD)
2014: Lilydale & District Historical Society Inc for Gun Alley: the forgotten story of Lilydale's back streets 1880 to today (website)
2013: Valerie Wilson for A Guide to Pioneer Graves in the Mornington Cemetery Website: [1]
2012: Friends of Wyperfeld for Wyperfeld 100: A traverse in time DVD
2016: Eva de Jong-Duldig and filmmaker David Smith for Duldig Studio Documentaries. Volume 1: 4 documentaries
2015: Meyer Eidelson for Melbourne Dreaming: a guide to important places of the past and present
2014: Friends of La Trobe's Cottage for The garden at la Trobe's Cottage, Kings Domain, Melbourne
2013: Chewton Domain Society for The Monster Meeting, The Great Meeting of Diggers 4 pm, 15 December 1851
2012: Gib Wettenhall for Goldfields Track Walking Guide
History Article (Peer Reviewed)
2016: James Kirby for 'Beyond Failure and Success: the Soldier Settlement on Ercildoune Road' in Provenance Journal
2015: Alistair Thomson for 'Anzac Memories Revisited: trauma, memory and oral history' in Oral History Review, Vol 42 Issue 1, 2015
2016: Anne Doyle for Wadaddi Nabadda. Paths to Peace: voices of the Somali speaking community
2011: Gunditjmara people with Gib Wettenhall for The People of Budj Bim
2010: Jenny Davies for Behind the Facade: Flinders Street more than just a Railway Station
2009: Ken Oldis for The Chinawoman
2008: Annette O'Donohue & Bev Hanson for Eaglehawk & District Pioneer Register Volume 6 - T-Z
2007: Jillian Durance for Still Going Strong: The story of the Moyarra Honor Roll
2005: Justin Corfield, Dorothy Wickham and Clare Gervasoni for The Eureka Encyclopaedia
2004: Wandiligong Preservation Society Co-ordinated by Coral Bennett and Joy Kit for Oriental Crossing
2003: Ann Synan for We Came With Nothing: Story of the West Sale Migrant Holding Centre
2002: Gillian Upton for The George: St Kilda Life and Times
2001: Warik Lawrance for 1864 (CD ROM)
2000: Daryl Tonkin and Carolyn Landon for Jackson's Track - A Memoir of a Dreamtime Place
1999: Dr. Andrew Brown-May for Melbourne Street Life
1998: Patrick Morgan for The Settling of Gippsland, A Regional History
Best Community Research, Registers and Records
2011: Marie Hansen Fels for 'I succeeded Once': The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula, 1839-1840.
2010: Susie Zada and Pam Jennings for Scots in Geelong and District to 1860
2009: Karen T Collins, Collingwood Historical Society for Bitter Roots, Sweet Fruit: A history of schools in Collingwood, Abbotsford and Clifton Hill
2008: John McKay and Hamilton History Centre Inc for The Streets of Hamilton, Western Victoria Australia: a History of the People behind the Names
2007: Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society for History of a Street Precinct
2005: Graeme Massey for Gallipoli Heroes: A tribute to the men from Western Victoria who gave their lives for their country
2004: Arthur Yong, North Eastern Melbourne Chinese Association for Chinese Settlement in Darebin
2003: Graeme Massey (Warracknabeal Secondary College – History Department) for Fallen Heroes. Warracknabeal War Memorial
2002: Dianne Carroll for Carroll Heritage Collection
2001: Allan Willingham for Camperdown: A Heritage Study
2000: Keith Clarke for Convicts of the Port Phillip District
1999: Brendan Fitzgerald and Bayside Library Services for Sin on Disc
2011: Michael Collins and others for Our Boys at the Front: The Mornington Peninsula at War 1914-18 from the pages of the Peninsula Post. (Book and DVD)
2010: Yarra Valley Italian Cultural Group for Dreams from a Suitcase ('Sogni Dalla Valigia'): Recollections of Italian Settlers in the Yarra Valley
2009: Christine Grayden, Phillip Island Conservation Society for An Island Worth Conserving: A History of the Phillip Island Conservation Society
2008: Collingwood Historical Society Inc for Collingwood Plaques Project
2007: Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain (ed) for The Encyclopedia of Melbourne
2005: Peter Yule (ed.) and the Carlton Residents Association Inc. for Carlton: A History
2004: Elizabeth Huf for Courage, Patience and Persistence: 150 Years of German Settlement in Western Victoria
2003: Jewish Museum of Australia (in association with Shalom Association) for From Russia with Hope: Australian Jews from Russia 1870-2002 (Exhibition)
2002: South Port Day Links and Port Melbourne Historical Society for Linking Us Together
2001: Sigrid Borke for In and Out of Port. Voices from the Port of Melbourne. An Oral History
2000: City of Whittlesea for Oral History and Poster Exhibition Project
1999: Jan Critchett for Untold Stories - Memories and Lives of Victorian Koories
1998: Linda Barraclough for historical research and community work in Gippsland
2011: Ron Hateley for The Victorian Bush: its 'original and natural' condition.
2011 Anne Longmire for The Catalysts: Change and Continuity 1910-2010.
In 2011 the Best Print / Publication category was divided into Best Commercial Publication and Best Self or Community Publication. See above.
2010: Robin Grow for Melbourne Art Deco
2009: Gary Presland for The Place for a Village: How nature has shaped the City of Melbourne
2008: Barry Heard for The View from Connor's Hill
2007: Richard Broome for Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800
2005: Barry Hill and the Borough of Queenscliffe for The Enduring Rip: A History of Queenscliffe
2004: John Poynter for Mr Felton's Bequests
2003: Vicki Fairfax for A Place Across the River. They Aspired to Create the Victorian Arts Centre
2002: Carolyn Rasmussen for A Museum for the People
2001: Adrian Jones for Follow the Gleam: A History of Essendon Primary School 1850-2000
2000: Peter Yule for The Royal Children's Hospital A History of Faith, Science and Love
1999: Janet McCalman for Sex and Suffering - Women's Health and a Women's Hospital
1998: Phil Taylor for Karkarook: a Mallee Shire History
2011: Peter Cuffley, Helen McBurney, Geoff Palmer & Janey Runci for Henry Handel Richardson in Maldon.
2010: Karen McIntyre for Lake Bolac Heritage Walk
2009: Wangaratta Regional Tourist Development Inc for Heritage Walk, Wangaratta
2008: Bayside City Council for Bayside Architectural Trail
2007: Ruth Gallant, Footscray Reference Group & Maribyrnong City Council for Footscray Trail: a guided walk through the historic central business district
2005: Margaret Gardner and Val Heffernan, The Hamilton History Centre for Exploring Hamilton Walks
2004: Don Chambers for Melbourne General Cemetery
2003: Carmel Taig for Yarraville in 1901
2002: Ross Bastiaan for The Kokoda Walk in the Dandenong Ranges National Park
2001: Bayside City Council for Bayside Coastal Art Trail. Stage 3
2000: Richard Peterson for Brimstone to Bunyip Churches of Collingwood, Clifton Hill and Abbotsford 1852-1999
1999: Angela Taylor, Ron Hateley, Tarnya Kruger for The La Gerche Walking Track
1998: Mary Ryllis Clark for Discover Historic Victoria
2011: The Jewish Museum of Australia for Mameloshn: How Yiddish made a home in Melbourne.
In 2011 Best Exhibit and Best Audio-Visual / Multimedia were combined as a category. See above.
2010: Keith White & Will Twycross for Visions of Port Phillip: The Burrells of Arthur's Seat 1851-1925
2009: Bendigo Chinese Association Museum Inc trading as Golden Dragon Museum for Creating a Community Museum
2008: Malcolm McKinnon and The Victorian Country Football League for Football Stories from Country Victoria
2007: Landsborough Festivals Inc for From Gold to Grapes: The Story of Landborough
2005: The Euston/Robinvale Historical Society Inc for Happy Birthday Robinvale
2004: James McCaughey, Red Finch Films for The First Eleven: The First Australian Cricket Tour of England (Video)
2003: Lakes Entrance Family History Resource Centre for Casting the Net – Pioneer Fishing Families of the Gippsland Coast
2002: Geoff Russell for Sir John Quick and Bendigo's ANA
2001: Lilydale & District Historical Society for Melba - Australia's Greatest Daughter
2000: Bronwyn Hughes (Author), Laki Sideris (Developer) and Tim Dolby (Producer) for Lights of our Past: Australian Stained Glass
1999: Timothy Lee for Wally's Weddings/The Bush Smithy
In 2011 Best Exhibit and Best Audio-Visual / Multimedia were combined as a category. See above.
2010: Janine Rizzetti (Heidelberg Historical Society) for An Invitation to the Ball
2009: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society for The Navy in Port Exhibition: A month of celebration for the centenary of the Great White Fleet visit
2008: Robinvale Network House for Migration Memories - Robinvale
2007: Victorian Jazz Archive Inc. for Jazz Spans the Decades – A History of Jazz in Victoria
2005: David Williams for Harvests, Headlands & Halcyon Heritage
2004: Jointly organised by the Warrnambool Art Gallery and the Warrnambool and District Historical Vehicle Club. Curated by Brenda O'Connor for Early Motoring in Warrnambool
2003: Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West for A Stone Upon A Stone: A Touring Exhibition about the History and Heritage of Dry Stone Walls
2002: Laharum Hall Committee for Federation Mural: History of Laharum
2001: Golden Dragon Museum, Bendigo for Showing Face
2000: Tatura and District Australia Day 2000 Committee for Tatura Collage Columns
1999: Jan Mitchell for Baywalk Bollards Project
1998: Mr Russell Jack - Bendigo Golden Dragon Museum
2011: Judges' Special Prize for Excellence - Gregory Eccleston and others for Early Navigators of Bass Strait, 1770-1803. (Map)
2010: Award to Celebrate 175th Melbourne Anniversary - Bain Attwood for Possession: Batman's Treaty and the matter of history
2009: Judges' Special Prize for Excellence - Paul R Mullaly for Crime in the Port Phillip District 1835-51
