Tara Murray
The National Wool Museum’s On the Land: Our Story Retold exhibition has been recognised at the Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards.
The museum received the AMaGA Victoria Award for medium museums/galleries for the exhibition which focuses on the past, present and future of Australian wool.
It’s the first major exhibition on Australian wool for over two decades and explores culturally relevant themes including ‘Wadawurrung Country’ – Geelong’s Traditional Owners, a history of farming, land management practice and innovations in the industry.
The exhibition, which included more than 40 contributors, was created through 2020 and delivered in March.
The judges of the award commended the National Wool Museum for developing such a complex and detailed, well researched and considered permanent exhibition on a budget.
“The exhibition bravely engages with communities and audiences, confronting frontier stories to bring balance to the celebration of wool as an economic and cultural phenomenon across regional Australia, including in the Geelong region,” the judges said.
AMaGA executive director Dr Ashley Robertson said with museums and galleries continuing to face challenges and uncertainty, now more than ever is an understanding of the importance of their contributions.
“In their resilience, they have continued to adapt and respond to the needs of their communities. The Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards recognises the significance of this work and the incredible efforts of volunteers and staff across the sector.
