The team at the South West Rocks Maritime Museum are working to encourage the local community to get involved in preserving national maritime history.
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Their work will benefit from an internship awarded to the South West Rocks Maritime Precinct Inc to aid the development of curatorial, digital, educational and conservation techniques.
The internship is organised through the Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme and assists groups in their collection, conservation and display of objects of historical national maritime significance.
The scheme provides grants of up to $15,000, internships and in-kind support from Australian National Maritime Museum experts.
Local museum volunteer Debra Holland will be undertaking the internship at the Australian National Maritime Museum where she will be focusing on four main areas including exhibition/events, education programs and conservation policy.
"I want to learn from them and work to create a database to track items that have been donated to the South West Rocks Maritime Museum," she said.
"I'll be seeing what's available on how best to display items and will bring back that information to present to the committee and also reach out to the community to get them on board as well.
"We have so much here and we need to be showing it and exhibiting it as best we can."
Getting the community involved in the museum is a main focus for the committee moving forward. Caretaker Walter Collins said he hopes more people will volunteer at the museum.
"It doesn't matter if you've been here for a day, week, or years, the museum is for every local," he said.
"Filling the roles of the committee will be a focus for next year."
Debra agreed and said the museum has a rich history and locals are encouraged to get on board.
"We want the museum to be at its full potential and with this internship I will be learning how we can move forward and exhibit the items in a more engaging way for the community," she said.
"It would be great for people to get behind the museum and support its future."
Debra will be heading to Sydney for the internship early next year in Sydney.
The Australian National Maritime Museum has awarded over $125,000 to organisations and community groups to support projects promoting Australia's maritime heritage as well as two internships.
If anyone is interested in finding out more information about volunteering at the South West Rocks Maritime Museum, contact Walter on 0428 743 331.
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