The 2014 NSW Premier’s History Awards, offering $75,000 in prize money, were announced last night at the State Library of NSW as part of the official launch of NSW History Week.

The NSW Premier’s History Awards were first presented in 1997 to honour distinguished achievement in history by Australian citizens and permanent residents. The awards assist in establishing values and standards in historical research and publication and encourage everyone to appreciate and learn from the work of our historians.

The prizes, including a special commemorative medallion for Australian Military History, were presented by The Honourable Victory Dominello MP, who said: “As Minister for Veterans Affairs, I’m delighted and honoured to present the NSW Premier’s History Awards in 2014, a year which marks the start of the commemoration of the First World War.”

Eight judges considered almost 150 entries across the five prize categories. This year, in addition to the exciting five categories, the Australian Military History Prize was introduced to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. For more information on the winners and shortlists, including judges reports, click HERE.

Congratulations to all the winners.

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 2014 WINNERS (Click on the images for more information) 

• Australian History Prize ($15,000)
• Broken Nation: Australians in the Great War, Joan Beaumont (Allen & Unwin)

 

 

• Australian Military History Prize (commemorative medallion, a subcategory of Australian History)
• First Victory, Mike Carlton (Random House Australia)

 

 

• General History Prize ($15,000)
• Encountering the Pacific in the Age of Enlightenment, John Gascoigne (Cambridge University Press)

 

 

• NSW Community and Regional History Prize ($15,000)
• Coast: A History of the New South Wales Edge, Ian Hoskins (NewSouth)

 

• Young People’s History Prize ($15,000)
• Australians All, Nadia Wheatley, illustrated by Ken Searle (Allen & Unwin)

 

• Multimedia History Prize ($15,000)
• Piublic Intimacies: The 1974 Royal Commission on Human Relationships, Michelle Arrow, Catherine Freyne and Timothy Nicastri (ABC Radio National Hindsight) 

 

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Now in it’s 17th year, History Week is a significant event that engages local communities on the NSW cultural calendar. Each year members of the History Council of NSW collaborate to host events that explore a particular theme in a variety of formats. From talks to exhibitions, tours to online engagement, there is something for everyone. Click here or the image above for more information. 

The objectives of History Week are:

Showcase: to showcase history in an innovative and exciting format.
Experience: to give people a sensory experience of a moment in time.
Attract: to attract new audiences to history, demonstrating that history is exciting, relevant and all around us.
Diversity: to present audiences with the rich and diverse history relevant to all aspects of our community.
Educate: to provide educational experiences that reach out to students from primary to tertiary level and promote lifelong learning opportunities.

What is History Week?
History Week was initiated by the History Council of New South Wales (HCNSW) in 1997 to showcase the rich, diverse history being produced by organisations and individuals across the state. With over 100 events across NSW, History Week is about celebrating the best in community and professional history, highlighting its role in our cultural life and inviting people to get involved.
During History Week, community groups, local councils, libraries, archives, museums, universities, cultural institutions, professional and amateur historians across NSW open their doors to present the latest in today’s historical research – fascinating stories, artifacts and experiences about both our past and ourselves today.