Comments on: Australia and New Zealand History & Genealogy Roadshow Overview

By: Alan Phillips

Alan Phillips — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 04:05:51 +0000

Thank you Shauna for this excellent summary of the roadshow – and your day by day blog reports. It is interesting the number of people who found out about it late. I can understand that for those who may only have heard about it via Findmypast and Genes Reunited and are not members of societies or readers of magazines or online newsletters. But notice has been given for up to 6 months fairly widely in genealogy circles.
– 40,000 Unlock the Past general and event brochures sent out over many months
– direct mailing of roadshow brochures and online notice to almost every genealogy society and in Australia and New Zealand – and many other organisations.
- four times featuring in ads on the back cover of Australasian Family Tree Connections magazine
- at the Adelaide and Sydney Expos, the NZ Fair plus other fairs, conferences and other events we attended or supported in most Australian states and New Zealand
- at many events Unlock the Past and Gould Genealogy sponsored, but did not attend.
- by others including Dick Eastman, and Findmypast and Genes Reunited

We have published a preliminary organiser’s blog report here – http://bit.ly/fMVc9J – with some photos and comment on possible future events.

By: Shauna Hicks

Shauna Hicks — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:40:03 +0000

Thanks Carole I was aware of all the other events in Sydney and thought that might have been a factor but not necessarily applicable to other capitals.
Also interesting the number of people who only found out via Twitter and of course most genies in Australia aren’t on Twitter. I know a number of societies also publicised it but perhaps a much longer lead time is needed. My wish would be for more to take up Twitter!

By: Carole Riley

Carole Riley — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:43:53 +0000

I was also disappointed in the numbers at the Sydney Roadshow, which was the only one I attended. I think that there were two main reasons:

1. We had had the Unlock The Past Expo a few weeks before, and many people I spoke to that had been to the Expo were not planning on attending the Roadshow as it all sounded the same. Even though there were some different speakers, including the international ones, we had had Elaine Collins from FindMyPast earlier in the year. There had also been the Society of Australian Genealogists’ ‘Lost In the Internet’ weekend in between these two, which is a full two days of presentations. There was just too much in too short a period.

2. It was new, and many people didn’t know about it, as has been said by others only finding out through Twitter. Most genealogists, I think it is fair to say, are not on Twitter or Facebook and spend little time on their computers learning about new opportunities. I think if it is better publicised through local FHSs and by word of mouth, it will be better attended next time, if there is a next time.

I hope there is!

By: Liz Stokes

Liz Stokes — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:48:05 +0000

I’d like to second Alex’s comment about only finding out about the roadshow via Twitter – it must have been a #followfriday! However, I have merely followed it on twitter from the comfort of my various office spaces! Despite my interest in Australian and New Zealand genealogy, my motivation for following this event is also because I am involved with the Dictionary of Australian Artists Online. http://www.daao.org.au This online database often receives requests, updates and corrections from family members researching their genealogy and biographical details of australian artists. Even though genealogy is not the core aim of this information resource, I’m elated by the enterprising nature of people involved in such endeavours, and reminded that the serendipitous nature of information searching really depends on what you put into it. Do drop by and have a browse!

By: Tweets that mention Australia and New Zealand History & Genealogy Roadshow Overview « Shauna Hicks History Enterprises -- Topsy.com

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:22:17 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Greg Lawrence and Shauna Hicks, Shauna Hicks. Shauna Hicks said: Just posted overview of recent @UnlockThePast #genealogy roadshow in Aust & NZ http://bit.ly/gmTEmX feel free to comment I love controversy! [...]

By: Alex Coles

Alex Coles — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:12:58 +0000

I attended the Auckland roadshow, and the thing I found interesting was that the only reason I knew about the roadshow was thanks to Twitter – but clearly mine wasn’t a typical experience as no-one else there apart from speakers/exhibitors were on Twitter.