COFFS Harbour Regional Museum has been awarded a $6,000 federal Community Heritage Grant to assist with the future preservation of the museum’s precious collection items, ensuring the region’s most important stories are told into the future.

The funding enables more regional and community organisations across the country to care for and manage their own collections so significant items have a longer life and be made available to the public.

The National Library recently announced the winners of the Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program, providing financial support to community groups and organisations such as libraries, museums, genealogical and historical societies.

The grants assist with the preservation of locally owned, but nationally significant collections of publicly accessible materials including artefacts, letters, diaries, maps, photograph and audio-visual material.

“We received $6,000 for a Preservation Needs Assessment where a conservation expert will come and study our collection and make recommendations about preserving the most important items we have,” explained Museum Curator Jo Besley.

“This follows our successful grant in 2019 for a Significance Assessment of the collection, which highlighted the themes and stories our collection tells, the most significant items and the future direction of the collection.”

The grant is a welcome boost to efforts to prepare the collection and develop exhibitions to be incorporated into the new, larger Regional Museum as part of the future Cultural and Civic Space.

“The collection embodies a wide range of material of historical significance and several items are rare survivors of Coffs Harbour’s past which could benefit from conservation treatment, so they can be displayed and enjoyed by visitors into the future,” said Jo.

The grant program is funded through the Office of the Arts in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, administered by the National Library of Australia, and supported by the National Archives of Australia, the National Museum of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive.