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Victorian Women on Farms Gathering Collection
Image: Patch - Victorian Women on Farms Gathering, Warragul 1999
Source: Museum Victoria
Since 1990, Victorian rural women have met at annual events, Women on Farms Gatherings, to share common interests, exchange information, celebrate their contribution to their farms and communities, and support and nurture each other.
Each Gathering is linked by a tradition of sharing memories, symbolic icons, women's stories, workshops, rituals, farm tours, good food and fun. The meaning, identity and action expressed through these collective activities are often 'life changing' for participants and foster a deep sense of community.
These gatherings emerged as part of the 'rural women's movement' in Australia. This movement sought to raise the profile, opportunities and voice of rural women. The Victorian Gatherings were soon replicated in other states around Australia, and fed into the organisation of the world's first 'Women in Agriculture' conference held in Melbourne in 1994.
The Women on Farms Gathering Collection dates from the first Gathering held at Warragul in 1990 and covers the first 20 years up to 2009. The Women on Farms Gathering Collection is a community project involving the active participation of rural Victorian women in collecting, interpreting and sharing their histories.
A cow pat, mallee root and motherboard, are some of the 'icons' in the collection and offer a colourful and symbolic insight into the stories and experiences of rural women. These icons have been chosen by the organisers of each Gathering to symbolise and celebrate the leadership, unity, diversity and resilience of rural women. The collection also includes two large banners (one of which is used and altered at each Gathering), videos, photographs, a memorial plaque, memorabilia and a large collection of oral histories.
The collection has state and national significance. It highlights the diversity of rural women's experiences, documents the contribution of women to their farms and communities, the changing nature of agriculture and contemporary issues affecting the future of Victorian rural communities. The contemporary and collaborative nature of the collection has created important community links across rural and regional Victoria and has directly influenced the development of associated collections and research, including: toxic waste campaign, 2009 Victorian bushfires, water security, climate change, drought, sustainable agriculture, gender and demographic change.
The active involvement of rural women in the development of this contemporary collection has fostered new and exciting possibilities for museum practice and the history making process:
"...we are creating living history. This Heritage Project with Museum Victoria is the first time that the museum has ever attempted something like this, and to my knowledge it is one of the few things in a museum that I have ever seen, which hasn't had to die to be recognised, and I find that very refreshing." Ann Jarvis (Inaugural member of the Women on Farms Heritage Group, Kergunyah)
"Collecting, documenting and displaying these stories through the community partnership between Women on Farms Gathering Heritage Group and Museum Victoria is groundbreaking. It is a model for how institutions may reshape their role to work collaboratively with communities to better interpret and represent their place in Australian life." Kerry Wilson, Member of the Women on Farms Heritage Group, Violet Town)
Related Stories:
History of Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings
Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings - What is a Gathering?
Women on Farms Gathering - Memorial Plaque
The Women on Farms Gathering Heritage Agreement
Women on Farms Gathering - The Perpetual Banner and Patches
Australian Rural Women's Movement - Timeline
Bibliography - Australian Women on Farms
Rural Women Gather Across Australia
Poetry and Song - The Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings
1990 Warragul Gathering (Inaugural Gathering)
1991 Sea Lake WoFG
1992 Numurkah WoFG
1993 Tallangatta WoFG
1994 Glenormiston WoFG
1995 Swan Hill WoFG
1996 Ararat WoFG
1997 Bendigo WoFG
1998 Ouyen WoFG
1999 Warragul WoFG
2000 Yarra Valley (Healesville) WoFG
2001 North East (Beechworth) WoFG
2002 Macedon Ranges (Kyneton) WoFG
2003 Yarram WoFG
2004 Horsham WoFG
2005 Benalla WoFG
2006 Hamilton WoFG
2007 Shepparton WoFG
2008 Berriwillock WoFG
2009 Warragul WoFG
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 121 - 130) 204 items
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Leaflet - Women on Farms Gathering, Bendigo, 1997
Leaflet from the 1997 Bendigo Women on Farms Gathering. This leaflet was distributed to Gathering participants prior to the Gathering and included details about the upcoming weekend as ...
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Map - Proposed Toxic Waste Dump, Women on Farms Gathering, Horsham, 2004
Map showing the proposed site for the Tiega toxic waste dump in the Mallee region of Victoria. This map was distributed to participants at the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering.
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Poster - No Toxic Dump, Violet Town Action Group, 2004
Laminated poster created to protest against the toxic waste depot being installed at Violet Town, circa 2002-2004. This poster was displayed at the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering ...
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T-Shirt - Farmland for Food, Women on Farms Gathering, Horsham, 2004
Small black t-shirt sold by the toxic dump committee to raise funds for protest against the proposed toxic waste depot at Violet Town, circa 2002-2004. The Farmland for Food t-shirt wa ...
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Sticker - No Toxic Dump, Women on Farms Gathering, Horsham, 2004
No Toxic Dump sticker. Stickers such as this were distributed at the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering as part of a protest display about the toxic waste issue affecting the local c ...
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Digital Photograph - Proposed Dump Site, Women on Farms Gathering, Horsham, 2004
Photograph of a protest caravan in the location of a proposed dump site in Violet Town, circa 2002-2004. This photo was taken in the lead up to the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering ...
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Digital Photograph - Olive Tour, Women on Farms Gathering, Horsham, 2004
Photograph taken at the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering depicting participants departing their bus during a tour to a biodynamic olive farm, Mount Zero Olive Grove.
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Digital Photograph - Bryce Courtenay, Women on Farms Gathering, Swan Hill, 1995
Photograph of guest speaker Bryce Courtenay on stage at the 1995 Swan Hill Women on Farms Gathering. Notable Australian author Bryce Courtenay was Saturday morning's keynote speaker. Ad ...
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Digital Photograph - Bill McGrath & Two Committee Members, Women on Farms Gathering, Swan ...
Colour photograph of the then Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Bill McGrath, posing with committee convener Yvonne Jennings and committee member Wendy Paltroc. The three are pictured stand ...
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Digital Photograph - Participants Holding Banners, Women on Farms Gathering, Ararat, 1996
Photograph taken at the 1996 Ararat Women on Farms Gathering. This image depicts a group of women holding up two different banners. One banner (pictured left) belongs to the Central Vic ...
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