How Yarn Ups worked.

• Our Community consultation co-ordinator organised a time and a venue for the recording team to be in town and promoted the Yarn Up through talking with community representatives and contacts and sending out flyers.
• We organised a community based venue, which is quiet for recording, but easily accessible, and we make sure tea, coffee and snacks were on hand to keep the yarning happening!
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans, ex-service and people involved in Defence support roles e.g. coast watch in WW2 came to speak with us and share their stories, along with photos and other objects or papers they felt helped with telling their story.
• We also spoke to many relatives of those who served who wished to share their knowledge and memories of that person’s service.

What participating in a Yarn Up involved.

With permission and consent, we recorded oral history stories - mostly on video but audio-only recording was also undertaken.
With participants’ agreement we also scanned copies of family photos, documents and papers related to defence service, and photographed many relevant objects including medals, souvenirs, artworks, memorabilia and more.

Participation was completely voluntary and participants did not have to share any information or materials that they did not want to, and at any stage during the interview they were free to withdraw any data collected.

How are the stories being used?

The two main outcomes of the project are two publications: a compendium/essay type book on the history of Indigenous service and an image book with more of oral history focus. Stories and other materials collected will be used for both these two publications.

Your story may also become available to a large number of people on the internet (project website for example), conference presentations, education resources, promotional materials and exhibitions.

Your story will not be published in any form without your consent (see the Consent Form & Info sheet here). You may also request a copy of the recording and/or transcript for yourself/your family.

See the full list of all Yarn Ups completed to date.