Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology 2024 Conference, Canberra

The 2024 Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology (ASHA) Conference will be held at the University of Canberra. As the nation’s capital, Canberra (Kamberri), home to the Ngunnawal (Ngunawal) and Ngambri peoples for over 20,000 years and founded as the nation's capital in 1913. It is home to iconic Australian landmarks, national museums and galleries. 

About this event

The 2024 ASHA conference will commence with a Welcome Function on the evening of Tuesday 24th September at the Canberra Museum and Gallery from 6-8pm. It will officially open on Wednesday 25th September with a keynote address by Dr Alasdair Brooks, followed by conference sessions from Wednesday to Friday inclusive. The conference dinner will be held on Thursday 26th September at Verity Lane. A field trip will be offered on Saturday 28th September. This will take you on a wallking tour around the historic gold mining town of Braidwood and drive past a selection of significant Modern buildings in Canberra.

Early Bird registrations close at 11pm on Friday 6 September 2024, so get in quick!

Theme: A Capital Idea: from colonies to nation states

Member Discounts: ASHA members receive discounted registrations. If you are not a current member, you can join or renew here.

Conference Venue: The official conference venue is the Anne Harding Conference Centre, University of Canberra, (Building 24) University of Canberra, 24 University Drive S, Bruce

Major Conference Sponsor: GML Heritage 

Virtual attendance: We are excited to offer virtual registrations for this year's conference.

Accommodation: An important note for those wishing to attend this year's conference is that it will be held during the school holidays and Floriade. It is important you book your accommodation early. The University of Canberra is located a 20-minute drive away from the city centre. 

Getting to the conference venue: Public transport in Canberra can be limited, however there are direct buses to the conference venue from the City that take around 20 minutes. For those who wish to drive their personal car to the venue or hire a car for their trip, we suggest you carpool where possible. Paid parking is available on the campus grounds. 

Further Information: Can be found through the ASHA website as it becomes available

Dietary Restrictions and Allergies: Please include these in your registration and also contact conference@asha.org.au if you have any serious allergies we should know about

Cancellations: Conference registrations cancelled prior to 10 September 2024 will be refunded in full (minus administrative fees). Cancellations after 10 September 2024 will not be refunded.

Visiting Canberra: There's plenty to do in and around Canberra before or after the conference. Check out the links below for more information:

• Getting around - click here
• Accommodation – click here
• Dining Guide – click here
• Tours– click here
• Self-Drive Heritage Trail itineraries - click here
• Self-Drive like it's 1975! itinerary - click here 
• What’s on – click here
• Canberra Visitor Guide - click here
• Canberra Stories - click here

Conference Tour:

Above and Below: Discover Historic Braidwood

28 September 2024, 8am – 4pm, cost $95 p/p (including lunch)

Join Amy Jarvis from Philip Leeson Architects, Heritage Advisors to the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council to learn about this fascinating slice of Australian history from both an above and below ground perspective.

The Braidwood Area has been part of the Yuin Nation for thousands of years and cultural connections to the place continue to this day. European settlement of the area occurred from the 1820s with one of the earliest settlers Thomas Braidwood Wilson providing the area with its modern name.

Listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, Braidwood has an extensive and intact collection of historic structures as well significant archaeological resources demonstrating its past development and growth. The town has seen historic booms and busts, benefitted from convict labour, seen its fair share of bushrangers, been part of a major gold rush and been home to a few notable Australians.

The cultural evidence of use of the landscape by the Yuin Nation is combined in many areas with evidence of past pastoral practices and of the town’s evolution including the location of former buildings, infrastructure and landscape features.

The original Georgian style town plan is also readable today with the grid extant and the village green at its heart. Buildings from as early as the 1840s stand beside modern structures, and the historic character of the place is a key part of why people are so drawn to this modest country town.

This tour will cover the key phases of Braidwood’s development including its establishment, settlement, gold rush, periods of war and the twentieth century changes to the place.

On-bus commentary will also consider the contextual development of the region, the expression of the conference themes in the regional centres such as Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Braidwood supporting the growth of the National Capital.

As we drive through Canberra, commentary will also be provided on key aspects of the city’s development, in particular during the mid-century period under the guidance of the National Capital Development Commission (1958-89).

Note: Those attending the Braidwood Tour must be able to board the steps on the bus/coach and need to be fit and capable of walking unassisted. The walk may involve some uneven ground, sloping terrain, stairs and steps. You will need to be prepared for sun (hat/sunscreen) and rain (raincoat/umbrella) and should wear appropriate walking shoes.

Please also bring your own water bottle and any snacks you need for the bus.

A MORE DETAILED ITINERARY WILL BE PROVIDED TO CONFIRMED TOUR PARTICIPANTS.

We look forward to seeing you in beautiful Canberra!