HERITAGE TOURISM IN AUSTRALIA IN AUSTRALIA

A GUIDE FOR HISTORICAL SOCIETIES

Dianne Snowden

In May 2008 the Federation of Australian Historical Societies (FAHS) published its most recent guide for members of Australian historical societies. Unlike previous guides, this ‘book’ has been published exclusively on the web and is available to everyone free of charge. It is Heritage Tourism in Australia: a guide for historical societies. It is available on the FAHS website

The FAHS commissioned Tasmanian author and genealogical researcher Dr Dianne Snowden to write the book. It was published with financial assistance from the New South Wales Heritage Council. (Department of Planning Heritage Branch, New South Wales, under its Heritage Incentives Program).

This publication reflects the growing interest in heritage tourism in Australia, and the vital role that the nearly 1000 local historical societies already play in facilitating access to local heritage, and will increasingly play in the future. Historical societies are major repositories of local knowledge and memory and through their collections, museums and advice do a great deal to make history and heritage available to both locals and visitors.

This guide is intended to assist them to work in partnerships with local authorities and tourist groups to develop local heritage in the promotion of tourism, and in the use of tourism to promote heritage.

This publication offers guidance and instruction on the following aspects:

·        Developing recognition that heritage has become a major part of tourism in many regions of Australia

• Sourcing materials, information, expertise and guidance from other historical societies with special mention of My Connected Community
• Guidance to sensitising local societies to their capacity to contribute to local heritage tourism, such as publications, museums, heritage walks (both guided walks and pamphlet guides), heritage tours, signposts and plaques etc
• Working with local councils, tourism authorities etc to promote the heritage of the locality
• Devising heritage walks and other heritage activities for visitors
• Promoting the heritage of the local community and region
• Running historical museums and preparing heritage displays
• Publishing pamphlets and other heritage materials for tourists
• Producing heritage signs

Where possible or appropriate, bibliographical sources are included.

Go direct to Heritage Tourism in Australia: a guide for historical societies (pdf)