Program of Events

Regional events: Gippsland

Curator's Talk: Clare Williamson

Join in an engaging 45 minute tour with the exhibition's curator Clare Williamson. Hear fascinating stories about Victorians on vacation - on the beach, at the snow and in the bush.
Time: Sat 19 April, 2pm
Venue: Gippsland Art Gallery, 68-0 Foster St, Sale
Bookings: 03 5142 3372
Free

Teachers Preview

Teachers are invited to an informal evening with the State Library’s Education team, who will introduce local teachers to the exhibition with a one-hour tour and complimentary refreshments. Each attendee will receive a teacher resource kit. Places are limited, so book early. Areas covered will be:

• Strand: Discipline-based learning
• Domains: English; The Humanities – History; The Arts

Time: Tues 22 April. 5.30-7.30pm
Venue: Gippsland Art Gallery, 68-0 Foster St, Sale
Bookings: Tel Louisa Waters on 03 5142 3494 or Lesley Scott on 03 5142 3374
Free

Free audio tour

For a lively commentary on the exhibition, download the audio tour to your mp3 player (or borrow a player from the Gallery's front foyer desk).

Education resource

An education resource kit for Victorians on Vacation is available online. It provides background information and curriculum design for teachers, with engaging projects for students in Years 3 to 10, aligned with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS).

State Library events

Talks & tours

The curators’ view: Free introduction

Join in an engaging half-hour tour with the exhibition’s curators, Clare Williamson and Julia Church. Hear fascinating stories about Victorians on vacation - on the beach, at the snow and in the bush!
Time: Fri 30 November, 11-11.30am & 3-3.30pm
Venue: Keith Murdoch Gallery, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

Free guided tours

Take a free, half-hour guided tour for an overview of the exhibition’s highlights.
Time: Tuesdays 1.15-1.45pm; Thursdays 1.15-1.45pm; Sundays 2.30-3pm (also Saturdays 2.30-3pm, 7-31 Jan only) (No tours 24 Dec-6 Jan)
Venue: Meet in front foyer, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: Not required (except for groups; call 03 8664 7279)
Free

Free audio tour

For a lively commentary on the exhibition, download the audio tour to your mp3 player (or borrow a player from the Library’s front foyer desk).

Viva le vacanze! Free Italian-language tour

Enjoy an entertaining tour and talk (in Italian) with Laura Mecca, former Director of the Italian Historical Society, as she reflects on the traditional family outing of Italian migrants - complete with piano accordion, well-stocked food hamper and home-made wine!
Time: Wed 5 December, 10.30-11.30am, 1-2pm, 3-4pm; Wed 20 February, 10.30-11.30am, 1-2pm, 3-4pm
Venue: Keith Murdoch Gallery, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

21st-century holidays: Free panel discussion

How have holidays changed? What has been the impact of new technology and environmental awareness? Join in a lively discussion of the 21st-century holiday - from the latest innovations in mobile accommodation to the growing popularity of eco-tourism.
Time: Wed 5 December, 6.30-8.30pm
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7555 or learning@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

By the seaside: Free talk

Join Andrea Inglis, author of Beside the Seaside: Victorian Resorts in the 19th Century, as she traces the traditions of the seaside holiday. Take an illustrated trip back in time to the exclusive resorts of Queenscliff, Lorne and Sorrento, and the more accessible seaside attractions of St Kilda and Brighton.
Time: Thurs 7 February, 2-3pm
Venue: State Library Conference Centre (Entry 3, La Trobe Street)
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

A family album: Free talk

Tony Banda migrated to Australia from Albania in 1954. Hear his son Rai reminisce, with curator Clare Williamson, about his father’s classic photographs of family holidays in Victoria, as well as his own photography.
Time: Thurs 14 February, 6-7pm 
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

Beach or bush? Panel discussion

Traditionally, Victorians fall into two holiday ‘camps’: beach or bush. What’s your preference? Melbourne writer and broadcaster Tony Wilson leads a panel discussion, with playwright and author Joanna Murray-Smith, who spent her childhood holidays on Erith Island, Bass Strait; scriptwriter and playwright Bill Garner, who has researched and written about the camping experience; and Peter Spearritt, co-author of Holiday Business: Tourism in Australia Since 1870.
Time: Thurs 21 February, 6.30-7.45pm
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Cost: $12/$10/$8 (full/concession/Library Foundation)

Foundation members’ event

Prior to ‘Beach or Bush?’ (above), State Library of Victoria Foundation members are invited to enjoy complimentary drinks with the curator and guest speakers.
Time: Thurs 21 February, 5.30-6.30pm
Venue: Foundation Members’ Lounge, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free (Foundation members only)

Taking the waters: Free talk

The ‘health-giving’ mineral springs of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs were a favourite destination for Jewish holiday-makers who retreated there after working all year in the schmatte business - the rag trade. Join Anna Epstein, a curator at the Jewish Museum of Australia, on a nostalgic journey evoking memories of Victoria’s spa resorts: the communal religious festivals, the cheap accommodation, the card-playing and the dancing!
Time: Tues 26 February, 3-4pm 
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

The Burqini™ swimwear phenomenon

The Burqini™ swimsuit has revolutionised the way in which many Muslim women can enjoy the Australian lifestyle of sun and surf while observing Islamic religious and cultural practices. Join Burqini™ swimwear designer Aheda Zanetti, Director of Ahiida Swimwear and Sports Apparel; author and human rights advocate Manar Chelebi; and Saara Sabbagh, Director of the Islamic fashion touring project My Dress, My Image, My Choice, in conversation with Victorians on Vacation curator Clare Williamson. They will discuss the rise and popularity of the Burqini™.
Time: Thurs 28 February, 3–4pm
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7016 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

Family fun on Australia Day!

Enjoy a day of free family activities and celebrate the beach holiday of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s! Activities on the Library’s forecourt will include mini-golf, bocce and quoits - plus story-writing, flag-making and other fun for kids. Slip, slop and slap, then pose for a holiday snap outside the ‘caravan’. Join a free, guided, half-hour tour of the Victorians on Vacation exhibition (12.30 and 2.30pm). Or simply relax in a deckchair and listen to great summer readings from Reading Victoria’s ‘The Summer Read’ program.
Time: Sat 26 January, 12-5pm
Venue: State Library forecourt
Bookings: Not required (inquiries 03 8664 7000) 
Free

Other activities

Greetings from... Holiday snapshots

Fake a fabulous holiday snap to impress your friends! Just choose an outfit, select a backdrop (or climb aboard our holiday caravan), then pose for our photographer and take home a Polaroid-style print to show off.
Time: 30 November-2 March, 10am-5pm daily
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: Not required
Free

Play Pod: Free fun for kids

Visit the Play Pod, a colourful space where young children can enjoy free activities such as making a holiday card or writing a story about their perfect holiday (special prizes to be won!).
Time: 30 November-2 March, 10am-5pm daily
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: Not required
Free

Wish you were here! Online photo competition

Got some great Victorian holiday photos? Enter our competition and win a digital camera! Whether they’re snapshots from your mobile phone or faded prints in an album, dig them out and share your best holiday moments with the world. Kids’ and adults’ sections. Entries open from 30 November to 2 March.
Information available online from 30 November

Reading Victoria - The Summer Read

Immerse yourself in great summer reading with the State Library’s holiday reading program. Choose from the list of 20 recommended titles, then join readers all over Victoria to vote for your favourite. Participate in events at public libraries, hear celebrity readers at the State Library on Australia Day, and swap reviews and recommendations with other readers online.
Information available online from mid November

School holiday activities

Imaginary postcards: Animation workshop

A fun, one-day program for kids aged 7 to 12. Create an animated ‘postcard’ about your fantasy holiday, using collaging techniques and your own voice-over recording. Squash time and space together as you travel to Victorian holiday spots of the past and the future. Take a DVD home to show everyone.
Time: 14-18 January, 10.30am-4pm daily 
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7555 or learning@slv.vic.gov.au
Cost: $40

Are we there yet? Video workshop

An exciting one-day activity for kids aged 7 to 12. Make a video about your favourite holiday, using a digital camera, paper cutouts and Stop Motion animation software. Come prepared with a story idea, then take a DVD home to keep!
Time: 21-25 January, 10.30am-4pm daily 
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7555 or learning@slv.vic.gov.au
Cost: $40

School programs & resources

Free teachers’ preview

Teachers are invited to celebrate the end of the school year with a special viewing of Victorians on Vacation, followed by refreshments and a performance by comedian Josh Earl. Book early - places are limited.
Time: Thurs 13 December, 5.30-7.30pm
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Bookings: 03 8664 7015 or education@slv.vic.gov.au
Free

School visits

School groups are welcome to visit the exhibition. Bookings are not required, but please call 03 8664 7555 in advance to arrange a suitable time for your visit.

Education resources

An education resource kit for Victorians on Vacation is available online. It provides background information and curriculum design for teachers, with engaging projects for students in Years 3 to 10, aligned with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS).