Education

Tasmanian
Archive and
Heritage
Office
The Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office (TAHO) is a
key service in the LINC Tasmania Network. TAHO leads
the capture and preservation of Tasmania’s cultural and
documentary heritage to give Tasmanians a greater
understanding of their heritage and the contemporary
issues which may affect them.
Under the leadership of the State Archivist, TAHO also
regulates the creation, preservation and disposition of
Tasmanian state and local government records as required
under the Archives Act 1983.
Collection development
The TAHO collection is the pre-eminent collection
of Tasmania’s documentary heritage and information
resources. Millions of items in many formats make up the
collection, occupying approximately 21 linear kilometres
of shelving. The collection dates from early European
settlement (and pre-settlement exploration) to the
present day and is acquired by legal deposit, transfer from
government agencies, purchase, donation or bequest.
A notable transfer from a state agency in 2012–13 was
a collection of iconic 19 th century charts and maps of
Tasmania from the Department of Primary Industries,
Parks, Water and Environment. These plans and charts
provide a fascinating glimpse into Tasmania’s history and
development.
While state records make up the bulk of the collection,
TAHO also seeks to acquire private records which have
long-term value to the community and best document the
political, social, cultural, economic and natural history of
Tasmania. A total of 62 private deposits were made during
the year to add to the non-government component of
the TAHO collection. Of these, a collection of historical
records relating to the publication of The Mercury and
related Tasmanian newspapers from 1854 onwards, was a
large and significant addition. This collection includes
the complete series of photographic negatives created
by The Mercury and its related publications since 1854,
as well as pictorial and article indexes. Davies Brothers’
decision to transfer the collection to TAHO sees this
valuable collection retained and preserved locally for the
information and use of current and future generations.
Other significant deposits and acquisitions in
2012–13 include:
• records relating to the Lake Pedder Action
Committee
• a collection of 1940’s/50’s photographic slides
(primarily of Hobart, Launceston and Queenstown)
by amateur photographer Jack Wrightson
• Greg Hind glass plate negative collection
• a small collection of early Antarctic novels.
A review of Launceston LINC stack collections began
in June 2011 and was completed in mid-December 2012.
The review included a rigorous assessment by
LINC Tasmania professional staff and has resulted
in enhanced storage and accessibility to valuable
Tasmanian information.
Collection promotion
The range of Theatre Royal items held within TAHO
was showcased this year, enhancing the 175 th anniversary
celebrations of Hobart’s Theatre Royal, Australia’s oldest
working theatre.
The wealth of family history resources available to
Tasmanians and visitors was highlighted through a
contribution to an episode in series five of the
SBS television series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’.
The Australian actor Lex Marinos paid an extended
visit to TAHO during the filming of the episode.
An exhibition and promotion of TAHO collection material
relating to the North Lyell mine disaster of 1912 was
developed to commemorate the 100 th anniversary and
items were displayed in the Allport Gallery and at the
West Coast Community Hub in Queenstown. The voices
and experiences of the community were remembered
in the exhibition through photographs, film footage and
sound recordings of original letters.
Government recordkeeping
To enable consistent application of good practice in
recordkeeping across state and local government
agencies in accordance with the requirements of the
Archives Act 1983, TAHO provides the Tasmanian
Government with a framework of advices, policy
and guidance to support the creation, disposition
and management of state records.
This year TAHO released nine Information Management
Advices, four State Records Guidelines, and six Records
Disposal Schedules.
During 2012–13, TAHO released a statement clarifying
Tasmanian Government Agency recordkeeping obligations
to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to
Instances and Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse in Australia.
The inaugural TAHO Information Manager’s Forum was
conducted in Hobart on 23 November 2012, attracting
50 attendees from state and local government agencies
and the private sector.
LINC Tasmania
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