Sports history takes the prize

AN exhibition chronicling the achievements of Yarra Ranges sports people, sporting clubs and events has won a museum industry award for excellence.
The exhibition, ‘Playing to Win’, won the Best Volunteer Project in the Museums Australia (Victoria) 2006 Museum Industry Recognition Awards. Featuring 12 stories about unusual events and local sporting heroes, the exhibition was a joint initiative between the Shire of Yarra Ranges and local historical societies. It included exhibits on football’s Jack ‘Captain Blood’ Dyer and woodchopping’s famous O’Toole family and was part of the shire’s celebration of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Shire of Yarra Ranges mayor, Monika Keane, congratulated everyone who had contributed to the success of the exhibition.
“This award pays tribute to the efforts of volunteers from local historical societies, who worked in partnership with the shire to create an excellent museums-standard exhibition with appeal to people of all ages,” she said.
“And ‘Playing to Win’ wasn’t just a sporting exhibition – it was a very innovative commentary on Yarra Ranges’ uniqueness as well as our cultural heritage.”
Museums Australia (Victoria) presents the Museum Industry Recognition Awards to recognise excellence in Victorian museums and galleries.
Nominations are sought from individuals, teams and organisations, including art, history, natural history, science and technology museums, historic houses, heritage parks and botanical and zoological gardens. The judges base their choices for awards on innovation, outcomes in the community and best practice.