Projects

Current project

In the last 35 years the Tweed Shire, on NSW's north coast, has undergone major population changes which have completely transformed the landscape and culture of the Shire.

'Alternative' settlers arrived in the early 1970s, setting up cooperatives and revitalising small villages. More recently, the coastal areas of the Tweed Shire have become part of the 'seachange' movement, a significant demographic change, which is transforming the environment and economy of the Shire. These recent changes are overlaid on earlier migration patterns that include South Sea islanders, Chinese market gardeners, Italian prisoners of war, some of whom returned to settle in the Tweed Valley, post-war European migrants and Sikh communities.

Stage One of Migration to the Tweed has produced:

• a short, illustrated, overview history of migration histories of the Tweed district, including South Sea Islander, Chinese, Italian, Sikh and general post Second World War migration and settlement;

• objects, memories and statements of significance for the NSW Migration Heritage Centre's Belongings and Objects Through Time projects;

• workshops with post-Second World War migrants and their families so they can compile histories of objects in their private collections; and

• additional workshops with other museums in the Tweed region about researching migration histories and collecting migration heritage objects.

Stage One of Migration to the Tweed is a NSW Migration Heritage Centre partnership project with Tweed Shire Council with support from former Regional Museums Adviser, Kylie Winkworth.

Those working on Stage One of Migration To The Tweed documented the stories and personal belongings of over 40 people of 11 different cultural groups.

It has produced a richly illustrated book entitled The Other Side Of The World: International Migration To The Tweed 1940s To 1960s supported by the NSW Migration Heritage Centre, Tweed Shire Council and Arts NSW. Tweed River Regional Museum interviews with post-Second World War migrants have been added to the NSW Migration Heritage Centre's Belongings web exhibition.

Community owned heritage collections, including those held by the Historical Societies of Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, and Uki and South Arm, were recorded in Objects Through Time.

PROJECT CONTACT:

Address:
Tweed Shire Council
PO Box 816
Murwillumbah NSW 2484

Tel: 02 66702440
Email: swatterson@tweed.nsw.gov.au

Web: www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Museum