Dr Dianne Snowden was appointed as an ex officio member of the new Conservation Committee. She brings a wealth of historical knowledge and expertise to the committee. She is a Hobart-based geneaological researcher and historian and has been a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council since June 2008. She is also a Consultant to the Professional Historians Association (Tasmania) Inc and is the Convenor of the Friends of the Orphan Schools St John’s Park Precinct.

Dianne is an historian who has made a significant contribution to the field of historic heritage. She is a member of the Board of the National Trust of Australia (Tasmania), the Board of the Female Factory Historic Site and a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council. Dianne has a particular interest in the history of convict women and their children, reflected in her work on the Orphan School, St John’s Park Precinct. She is an Honorary Research Associate at UTAS and conducts an annual Winter School there on researching family history.

“I am particularly interested not only in making records widely available and easily accessible to the public but also in educating users in understanding the potential of the records and how to use them effectively. I have a particular interest in seeing that significant groups of records are preserved for future research. I also value the promotion of Australian history, especially 20th century Australian history, to schools and tertiary institutions.”

We believe that Dr. Dianne Snowden will be a real asset to the Conservation Committee.