Summary

Photograph taken at the 2003 Yarram Women on Farms Gathering depicting the signing of the 2003 Women on Farms Gathering Heritage Agreement. The signing of this agreement occurred at the end of the Gathering, on the Sunday morning, when a special scroll was signed by representatives of all past Gatherings.
Part of Museums Victoria's Invisible Farmer Project Collection. The Invisible Farmer Project was the largest ever study of Australian women on the land, uncovering the histories and stories of Australian women in agriculture. It began as a pilot project (2015-2016) and evolved into a three year (2017-2020) nation-wide partnership between rural communities, academic, government and cultural organisations, funded by the Australian Research Council.

Description of Content

Participants sign the Heritage Agreement scroll at the 2003 Yarram Women on Farms Gathering.

Physical Description

Colour Digital Photograph

Significance

During the 2003 Yarram Women on Farms Gathering, Museum Victoria and members from the Women on Farms Gathering community signed an agreement that affirmed a shared commitment to collecting cultural material relating to the Gatherings, and to rural women in general. This agreement - titled the Agreement Between Museums Board of Victoria and Victorian Women on Farms Gathering - laid out a vision to 'protect, preserve, document, exhibit and enhance access and understanding of the stories relating to Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings.' To this end, the agreement stipulated that Museum Victoria would work in partnership with the Women on Farms Gathering Heritage Group - a committee made up of past Women on Farms Gathering committee members. The Heritage Group was to 'provide advice to Museum Victoria regarding inclusion for material in the Collection' and in turn, Museum Victoria was 'responsible for collection management and storage of the Collection'. Over the years, a large and dynamic collection emerged from this cultural partnership - not only resulting in the collection of objects, stories and oral histories, but also facilitating strong community relationships and contributing to the wider history of rural Victoria. While the formal terms of the Heritage Agreement covered a five-year period and have not been renewed, they have laid the foundations for a continued, informal partnership between Museum Victoria and the Victorian Women on Farms Gathering community.

More Information