I am thrilled to be writing my first President’s Report and to share an update on the activities I have been involved in since stepping into the role in October.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land from where I am writing, the Boonwurrung Peoples, for their continuing connections to land, sea and community. I pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.
I would also like to welcome the new AICCM Executive team: Heather Bleechmore (Vice President), Noni Zachri (Treasurer), Luci Ronai (Secretary); and National Council members: Sherryn Vardy (Professional Membership Officer), Silvia Da Rocha (Membership Officer), Hakim Abdul Ramin (Publications Officer), Kasi Albert (SIG Coordinator), Ian Batterham (Public Officer), Kim Barrett (Queensland President), Yuhong Zhang (South Australian / Northern Territory President), Cobus van Breda (Tasmanian President), Charlotte Walker (Victorian President) and Claire Rowson (Western Australian President).
I look forward to working with this committed team, the AICCM membership, colleagues, supporters, and communities across Australia to co-develop and co-deliver our next Strategic Plan, which spans from June 2025 to June 2030.
I am very interested in hearing from the profession and others about what our new strategic objectives should be. Over the past few months, aside from meeting with the National Council, I have met in person with conservators in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane to discuss the priorities, issues, challenges and opportunities for conservation now and into the future. Earlier in the year, I also met with conservators in Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney to discuss and work together on the actions in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
I am passionate about increasing public awareness about conservation, increasing financial support and investment in conservation, and creating more opportunities for conservation training and services to be delivered in communities across Australia, including remote, regional and urban areas. Many conservators are also interested in these focus areas and in increasing our cultural awareness, capacity and capability in working with First Nations communities.
However, we need to hear from many more people so that we can collaboratively develop a strategy that identifies goals, partnerships and resources, enables evidence-based decision-making, and demonstrates the social, cultural, economic and environmental impact of preserving cultural materials in Australia. To do this, we will be sending out a survey to our members and non-members early next year. We would like to hear from various segments of our profession, including current students, emerging conservators, conservators working in institutions and private practice, and the broader community. Please complete the survey and encourage others to do so too. Thank you in advance for your support and feedback.
On other exciting fronts, I handed over the Chair of the Reconciliation Committee role to Heather Bleechmore. The committee is continuing to deliver the RAP targets and actions and reported to National Council that out of the total of 13 targets: 6 are 100% completed, 5 are 50% completed, and 3 are less than 50% completed. The committee also reviewed the 39 responses received from the recent membership survey conducted in September 2024, which assessed members’ experiences and needs in working with First Nations Peoples in Australia, their knowledge about the RAP, and interest in a First Nations focus for the next National Conference. Most respondents:
- had some experience in working with First Nations Peoples in Australia
- would like to professionally develop their skills for working with First Nations communities
- would like the AICCM to provide cultural competency learning and development opportunities to members about working with First Nations Peoples
- knew where to find the RAP and thought the targets were clear and understandable
- were interested in a mix of First Nations and non-First Nations conservation themes and topics for the next National Conference.
The National Conference Committee, co-chaired by Rachel Spano and Anne Carter, has also reviewed the survey results and is progressing with the development of the program schedule. I have had the opportunity to work closely with the conference committee and am happy to announce the conference will be held at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane from 12 to 14 November 2025. Please save the dates for what will be another fantastic opportunity for us to come together, share and learn.
Together with the Chair of the Disaster Preparedness Committee, Sarah-Jane Rennie, we launched the 2025 AICCM Disaster Preparedness calendar, which is a valuable resource for so many people. We also co-chaired and presented at the IIC Protecting Heritage: Disaster and Risk Management in Conservation Webinar series on 4 December 2024.
It was a great privilege to announce the winners of the 2024 AICCM Awards on 9 December 2024. The award recipients are:
- ArtsNational Mid-Career Scholarships: Catherine Collyer & Lisa Nolan
- Student Conservator of the Year (University of Canberra): Michelle Butler
- Student Conservator of the Year (University of Melbourne): Jessica Argall
- Outstanding Conservation Treatment: ANZ Gothic Bank Mosaic, International Conservation Services
- Outstanding Conservation Project: South Solitary Island Lighthouse, International Conservation Services
- Outstanding Service to the Profession: Andrew Durham
- AICCM Medal: Nicole Tse.
Congratulations to all the winners! I would like to honour the remarkable Andrew Durham for his pioneering leadership and lifelong dedication to the field of conservation across Australia and internationally. As the esteemed former Director of Artlab Australia for 19 years, Andrew welcomed students, interns and conservators, providing invaluable mentorship while championing professional development. Throughout his illustrious 40-year career, Andrew championed knowledge-sharing and outreach, and tirelessly promoted conservation ethics across allied professions. Andrew’s passion for nurturing new generations, coupled with his commitment to public engagement and preserving cultural heritage, leaves an enduring legacy. We celebrate Andrew, who pushed boundaries, forged interdisciplinary collaborations, and inspired excellence in conservation practice worldwide, leaving an immeasurable impact on the field.
I encourage you all to continue to nominate your colleagues. I know that everyone is busy, but I urge you to take the time to recognise and celebrate the incredible work that conservators do. We are a highly skilled profession full of innovation, creativity and critical thinking, always producing outstanding results that benefit many people now and into the future. We need to come together and share our work to raise awareness and build support for what we do, and these awards are one way of doing that.
I am finishing this report by thanking Alice Cannon and the former Executive Team for their leadership. I would also like to thank all our volunteers across the AICCM, everyone on National Council, in the State Divisions, our Special Interest Groups, committees and working groups, and the publications editors. I would also like to thank our contractors: Michelle Berry (Secretariat), Paul Coleman (Website Editor), and Cheralyn Lim (Communications Officer). I am grateful for the time you all invest.
Wishing you all the best for the festive season and for healthy and joyful 2025.
Samantha Hamilton
President, AICCM
December 2024