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The 10th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry was held at the Melbourne Convention Centre 23-27 April. This triennial event was a real feast for those who attended. The organising committee has been working hard for several years-and it showed.
It began with a Registration and Book Launch evening on Wednesday. Public Record Office Victoria released their new publication Private Lives-Public Records. The GSV launched their new CD Goldfields Hospital Records, we also released the second edition of Melbourne General Cemetery and a new book, Abbreviations for Genealogists. Also launched that night, Cora Num's new book on convicts. Many of the speakers and authors were present to autograph their publications and speak to those attending.
The official opening, by the honourable John Landy, AC MBE, Governor of Victoria, began the proceedings.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were filled with multiple sessions presented by well known Australian and overseas speakers. Many times the choice as to which session to attend was very difficult to make.
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Speakers included: Chinese Australian Family History of Victoria; Barbara Berce; Margaret Selman Brown; Douglas Browning; Geoffrey Burkhardt; Anne Burrows; Colin Chapman; Stella Colwell; Richard d'Apice; Dorothy Fellowes; Michael Gandy; Helen Harris; Mark Herber; Shauna Hicks; Sherry Irvine; Diane Jarvie; Graham Jaunay; Fay Johnson; Roger Kershaw; James McKinnon; Elizabeth Mortimer; Gerald Mortimer; Cora Num; Andrew Peake; Ugo Perego; Garry Presland; George Redmonds; Sandra Riordan; Diane Snowden; Ralph Stavely; and Gillian Thomas.
The venue was well suited to the event and the food was exceptional. There were a number of displays and exhibits in the exhibition area and the GSV bookshop was always busy with delegates excited to see such a vast range of publications available. On the Thursday evening the Scottish Ancestry Group, Irish Ancestry Group and the International Settlers Group all held dinners for interested delegates.
The gala dinner was held on Saturday night at The Heath' at Caulfield Racecourse. As part of the proceedings the AFFHO award for meritorious service to family history was presented to Andrew Peake of South Australia.
Friday night the GSV library was open to delegates to do some research and many availed themselves of the opportunity to do so.
The closing session on Sunday included the announcement that the 2009 Congress will be held in New Zealand.
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