Australians will get a glimpse into the nation’s hunting history thanks to a grant from the Andrews Labor Government to the Wetlands Environmental Taskforce to support the Australian National Hunting Archive.
Located in Victoria, the Australian National Hunting Archive is Australia’s most comprehensive and valuable collection of works on the social history of hunting in Australia.
The collection currently contains more than 4,500 books and 20,000 documents that demonstrate the role hunting has played over time in the Australian social fabric.
Victoria’s first game manager, Max Downes, has worked tirelessly over many years to accumulate the impressive collection and is passionate about enabling the public to better understand the ecological and social role that hunting wildlife has had in the history of Australia.
The Archive documents the experience of Arthur Bentley BEM who authored the definitive text on Wild Deer in Australia in 1967 and who was recognised for services to Australian hunting in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1975. It also includes the works of Otto Ruf, one of Australia’s best known taxidermists.
Its fundamental purpose is to preserve important historical records for the study of hunting as part of Australia’s environmental history.
The Australian National Hunting Archive was established by Field and Game Australia as a project of the Wetlands Environmental Taskforce and is also supported by the Australian Deer Association.
The grant of $40,000 will enable the Archive to develop an electronic catalogue system of this important historical information that can be accessed by the public.
The Labor Government’s Sustainable Hunting Action Plan commits to support the National Hunting Archive by helping the archive develop an electronic catalogue system of historical information that can be accessed by the public and that is exactly what this grant will do.
To find out more about the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan visit:
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford
“Hunting remains an important part of our nation’s social, cultural and traditional heritage. This project protects and digitises the history of Victorian hunting for future generations to enjoy, learn from and share.”
“Our Sustainable Hunting Action Plan is a $5.3 million investment that is supporting and guiding the future and growth of the game hunting industry. This is about jobs and getting people out in Victoria’s great outdoors.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020