Bathurst Library has launched a new project that encourages local residents to contribute to preserving our local history.
Called Bathurst Recollections, the project will collect anecdotes and stories shared by local community members.
Manager Library Services, Patou Clerc, says the aim of this project is to save parts of history that don’t necessarily make it into the history books. “History isn’t just dates, historical figures and things that happened 100 years ago,” she said. “History is your memories of playing down by the river as a kid, stories from your family business, remembering a building that has changed hands or when a storm passed through your neighbourhood.”
The library began developing this project during research for its recent history display ‘Manly Beach’ on the River, which celebrated summer in Bathurst and the Macquarie-Wambuul River. “We found photographs from the early 1900s and articles from past newspapers, but it wasn’t easy to find people’s experiences of spending time down by the river,” said Ms Clerc. “This prompted us to initiate a project that would preserve these valuable insights and memories for future generations.”
If you have a story about a local place, event or experience, you can submit it to the Bathurst Recollections project. Simply pick up a Bathurst Recollections form at the library or download one from www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/library. You can submit your recollections to Bathurst Library in person at 70-78 Keppel Street or by email library@bathurst.nsw.gov.au
