Victoria’s most outstanding history publication or project will now be recognised by a new Premier’s award as part of the long-standing Victorian Community History Awards, with Victorians encouraged to send in their nominations for the inaugural award.
Premier Daniel Andrews today announced that the Victorian Community History Award will be renamed the Victorian Premier’s History Award in recognition of the importance of this award to Victorian historical research.
Historians, writers, curators and content producers are encouraged to enter their historical projects before entries close on Wednesday 2 August.
The most outstanding historical work will be awarded the newly-named Victorian Premier’s History Award.
Previous winners include:
- Pam Baragwanath and Ken James for These Walls Speak Volumes: A History of Mechanics’ Institutes
- Meredith Fletcher for her book on the celebrated botanist Jean Galbraith: Writer in a Valley
- Maree Coote for The Art of Being Melbourne
The winner of the Victorian Premier’s History Award will receive a $5000 prize. A History Publication Award, Cultural Diversity History Award and Multimedia Award are among the other awards in the Victorian Community History Awards program, which has a total prize pool of $19,000.
The annual awards are run by the Public Record Office Victoria in partnership with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria to recognise and celebrate contributions made by Victorians to preserve Victoria’s history for future generations to share, enjoy and learn from.
To enter in the awards, please go to
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“The Victorian Community History Awards are an important way for us to recognise those working tirelessly to bring the many stories of Victoria’s history to life.”
“In the years ahead, we look forward to acknowledging and rewarding the many great historical projects that document the development of Victoria with the new Victorian Premier’s History Award.”
Quote attributable to Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings
“Whether it’s books about our rich indigenous past or more recent events, these awards recognise the contribution of local historians detailing the many perspectives and stories that line our state’s history.”
Quotes attributable to Director and Keeper of Public Records Justine Heazlewood
“By changing the name of the most outstanding award to the Victorian Premier’s History Award we’re acknowledging the importance of this award to the historical community in Victoria.”
“I’d like to encourage anyone who has written or worked on a project in the last twelve months which promotes Victoria’s rich history, recent or past, to put themselves forward for the awards.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020