The Fortress Newcastle Exhibition Launch
The Newcastle Fortress Exhibition was officially launched on Friday 22 April 2022.
It was an extraordinarily friendly and successful event, thanks to our Master of Ceremonies, Dr Peter Hobbins, Head of Knowledge at the Australian Maritime Museum, for his expert leadership of the ceremony.
To Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon MP, for her genuine compassion for our work, and to Coral Black, University Librarian for representing the University of Newcastle’s support for the project.
Official attendance at the Launch was 86.
The exhibition closed on 8 May, and everything was relocated to Delprat’s Cottage for inventory and storage. During its course, the exhibition operated smoothly with large attendances and all feedback received was positive.
Over the 15 days, there were approximately 2,300 visitors to the Exhibition.
The Stories of Our Town Fortress Newcastle Film
The Fortress Newcastle – Life Under Threat film, produced as part of the Stories of Our Town Series was screened continuously in the Fort courtyard and has been well received widely throughout the community.
The Newcastle Fortress Trail
To coincide with the launch of the Fortress Newcastle Exhibition, a new film has been produced The Fortress Newcastle Trail to further support the ongoing development opportunity to create a tourist destination attraction using over 20 remaining sites from the defence network called Fortress Newcastle during WWII.
It is also freely available to view now on Youtube at:
Fortress Newcastle Collection @ University’s Living Histories
With the original aims of the project almost now been achieved,we are wrapping up, to move on.
Considerable additional material is now available and has been added to the University’s Special Collections Fortress Newcastle Collection page. (A USB with over 60 documents is also available if you require a copy). See Special Collections website here:https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/114581
Background to the work by student placement Rachel Vaughan. (UoS, Masters of Museum & Heritage Studies intern, GLAMx Lab) is here: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2022/03/28/fn/
Traveling Exhibition
An inventory of all portable exhibition panels is being prepared, to be offered it as a traveling exhibition to any interested parties. Please contact us if interested.
A Vote of Thanks
To all participants, thank you to all who have helped in many ways to deliver this project. We greatly appreciate the generous assistance provided by the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs ‘Saluting Their Service’ grant and New South Wales Government’s Newcastle Port Community Contribution Fund (NPCC).
Bob Cook, President.Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association Inc.
E: nihanewcastle@gmail.com
P: 0419241731
W: www.niha.org.au
Great exhibition ,great for our Town and our Forts .Being a volunteer at Fort Scratchley ,the amount of locals that haven’t a CLUE about our war and peace time history. Congratulations to all ( BLOODYFANTASTIC JOB HATS OFF TO ALL )