From paper to pixels, Mount Gambier History Group’s archive goes digital

Tucked away in the corner of the Reidy Park Centre, The Mount Gambier History Group is like a time capsule bursting with memories, stories, and records, of the region’s people and places.

The group has recently taken a step into the digital age with new computer servers installed to safeguard their growing archive.

Supported by a community grant from OneFortyOne and technical assistance from the OneFortyOne IT team, the group now has a secure server system to store and protect its collection.

For decades, the History Group has been the custodian of local history, housing collections of everything from family records to iconic images of local landmarks like the Blue Lake.

President Megan McKenzie said, “The basis of the Mount Gambier History Group is that we collect and preserve local history of the area.”

“We have so many historical items, our only limitation really is storage.”

That limitation is now, well, history.

With the installation of built-in servers and two portable backup units, one of which is kept offsite, the Group can securely store and protect its extensive collection.

“We have the new server box on site, and two portables. One portable is always offsite so if anything happens, we have everything backed up,” Megan said.

For Megan, History Group involvement started with an interest in people.

“I started being interested in family history. At school, I hated history – it was all about the kings and queens. I failed to see the relevance!”

“I’m a people person, so one of the most interesting things for me is trying to identify the people in old photos.”

The upgrade has been a massive support to the Group’s photo archives, estimated at 60,000 to 70,000 images. The new system will allow members and visitors to access these treasures more easily, whether they’re looking into family history or exploring other records.

Megan was quick to credit OneFortyOne for making this possible.

“I can’t speak highly enough of OneFortyOne’s IT team for what they did for us; the guys we worked with were fantastic.”

The Mount Gambier History Group continues to be a vibrant hub for history enthusiasts. Members gather every Tuesday afternoon to catalogue items, and the committee meets monthly. Occasional open days and book sales invite the community to chat and explore the collection, and for just $25 a year ($20 concession) you can become a member and research for free.

With its new digital infrastructure, the Mount Gambier History Group can make sure the stories of local people, places, events, and a lot in between, will be collected and safely stored for generations to come.