Aboriginal History WA and the State Library take off on South West road trip

Team members from Aboriginal History Western Australia (AHWA) and the State Library of Western Australia’s Storylines will hit the road this February to hold free family history sessions in the South West.

Usually based in Perth, the teams will visit Collie, Manjimup, Margaret River, Busselton, Bunbury and Eaton between Monday 10 and Thursday 13 February 2025.

The sessions are a great opportunity for people to find out about researching their Aboriginal family history and learn about AHWA's truth-telling projects.

The AHWA team are research experts who can help Aboriginal people to access restricted State Government records about themselves and their direct ancestors, in a culturally secure manner.

These records, which span the period from 1886 to 1972, are closed to the public due to the personal and sensitive nature of the information.

Storylines is an Aboriginal online archive managed and hosted by the State library. It features more than 12,000 photos and materials that can help people find information about their family and provides a safe place to share materials about Aboriginal people from Western Australia.

Erin Gauntlett, Acting Director General, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries said:

“These sessions are a great way for Aboriginal people to learn more about their mob's history and how they can get help to research where they come from.

"They are also a great introduction to the huge number of historical photos and records that can be searched online, as well as the important truth-telling projects being undertaken.

"Last year our AHWA and State Library teams travelled to the Great Southern and Wheatbelt regions and met with more than 130 people across 12 towns.

"Now it’s time for them to visit the South West — if you live in the area and want to know more about your family’s history, make sure you come and meet the team. They’re always up for a yarn!"