'Oral history holds all lives valuable': a glimpse of the 16th National Conference of the OHAA in Launceston 2009

Abstract

In 2009, I enjoyed four engaging days at the 16th National Conference of the Oral History Association of Australia (OHAA), 'Islands of Memory: Navigating Personal and Public History'. The conference hosted 49 or so inspiring speakers and attracted about 135 delegates from across Australia and abroad. Held at the Tram Shed Function Centre in Launceston, Tasmania, we enjoyed the city's beautifully preserved, historic buildings and the picturesque, rural scenery of the Tamar Valley. A diverse range of topics was covered, with a mixture of single and parallel sessions. These topics spanned the use of oral sources in museums and heritage institutions, academia, the media, law courts, the arts, and family and local histories. This is a glimpse of the conference, from my perspective.