Council News - August 2005Community Meets To Progress Kimberley Archive Project3rd August 2005 A request for organisations and individuals to examine the feasibility of a Kimberley Archive will soon be released after a recent meeting of the newly formed Kimberley Archive Project Management Committee. The Committee will guide the work of the appointed consultants as they investigate how the wealth of the Kimberley’s archival material can be protected and accessed into the future. “We have known for a long time that significant historical documents, records, photographs and other archival material about the Kimberley have been lost and at risk because there is no place in the Kimberley to store them,” said Joan McKie, Chairperson of the Kimberley Archive Project Management Committee. “The Management Committee will be working together with the appointed consultants to undertake a scoping study which will research this problem and develop concept and business plans to inform how we proceed.” The Kimberley Archive Project Management Committee consists of representatives from organisations with a regional role and from the community. Administrative support is provided by the Shire of Derby / West Kimberley. The Kimberley Development Commission, Department of Indigenous Affairs and all four Kimberley Shires have funded the project. Background There is no established archive facility in the Kimberley region. This situation has created several problems for government departments, community members, researchers and other agencies. The current practice is such that individual agencies are responsible for the storage and protection of archival records. Some organisations have formal protocols in place, but many do not have policies or procedures to govern the protection of this material, or ensure appropriate access. Another issue is the amount of material that has been taken from the Kimberley over the years and is now housed at public libraries, museums, universities and private collections across the country and overseas. Regionally, materials are dissipating at an alarming rate, because of inappropriate storage, preservation and management in the harsh Kimberley environment. A significant proportion of the materials that need to be prevented from irretrievable loss and destruction relate to the cultural heritage of the Indigenous Kimberley population and are of vital social, cultural and historical importance both within the region and nationally.
In some instances agencies across the Kimberley have been prepared to provide advice on the management and storage of materials. However, the lack of resources and infrastructure and the absence of formal protocols governing access and storage affect the ability to provide an archival service that is appropriate and acceptable to the wider Kimberley region. In recognition of the diverse interest in the storage, preservation and access to archival records, an interim Kimberley Archive Project Management Committee (KAPMC) has been formed to oversee the development of the Kimberley Archive Scoping Study. This Committee comprises representation from the following stakeholders: • Kimberley Land Council
• Pastoralists & Graziers Association
• Kimberley Aboriginal Law & Culture Centre
• Kimberley Language Resource Centre
• Kimberley Development Commission
• Kimberley Health Service
• Kimberley Interpreting Service
• Community Representatives
• WALGA (Kimberley Country Zone)
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