Maritime Museum Grants Help Recipients Stay Afloat

Over 30 community and Not for Profit organisations will share more than $150,000 in grant funding to help them continue to care for and promote Australia’s maritime heritage.

Thirty-one NFPs share $150,000 in maritime heritage grants.

Announcing the 31 recipients who will share this year’s grant funding through the Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme, Minister for the Arts, Senator George Brandis said the funds will assist in the preservation, collection management and conservation of our maritime history.

Projects to receive grants include restoring an historic paddle steamer, recording the history of islands in Sydney Harbour, conserving a lighthouse lantern room, and developing an online museum about ghost ships and lost treasure.

“Maritime museums and historical societies play an integral role in preserving our cultural heritage and these grants will assist them to safeguard maritime material,” Senator Brandis said.

“These grants also ensure that expert academic knowledge and professional skills can be brought into organisations and assist in the development of public and education programs.”

More than $1 million has been distributed to community and Not for Profit organisations since the scheme began in 1995, supporting many maritime enthusiasts who offer their time and expertise to preserve Australia’s diverse maritime heritage.

The scheme – which includes grants of up to $10,000, internships and in-kind support by museum experts – is administered by the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) with Federal Government funding.

“The ANMM is one of Australia’s key national collecting institutions and its support for regional and community organisations through this scheme ensures our maritime heritage is available now and for future generations,” Senator Brandis said.

Grant recipients and projects include:

• Dictionary of Sydney Trust to document the history of Sydney Harbour’s islands
• Cairns Maritime Museum in Queensland to engage a specialist maritime archaeologist to help develop an online museum about ghost ships and lost treasure
• Narryna Heritage Museum in Tasmania for conservation work on a significant oil painting in its collection
• Broome Historical Society and Museum in Western Australia to develop an exhibition about state ship services
• National Trust of South Australia for conservation work on the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse Lantern Room
• Rotary Club of Kincumber in New South Wales to build a shipbuilders’ memorial walk, and
• Echuca Historical Society in Victoria for expert museum curatorial advice for its Save the PS Murrumbidgee project.

A full list of the Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme grant recipients can be found here.