About Us
South Coast History Society Inc.
The intriguing histories of the South Coast of NSW, Australia
We’re different! We are a history society... not a historical society. We don’t collect objects and we don’t run a museum. We don’t have a library and we have very limited research facilities. Our interest is the fascinating history of the entire South Coast of NSW – so we don’t focus on just one small, local area.
Our aim is to reach absolutely anyone, anywhere, interested in South Coast NSW history – not just a small number of paid-up members of our Society. And we tell tales – yes, all the interesting stories about the NSW South Coast – exactly what our South Coast communities want to hear and read.
South Coast History Society Inc. is a volunteer-based, community-focused, not-for-profit, Incorporated organisation (ABN 42 492 574 578).
It was established in February 2017 after a need was identified within the community for the South Coast’s fascinating history to be made more widely available. (More than half the people now living on the South Coast were not schooled on the South Coast – so have arrived knowing little of the history of the area. That history of the entire South Coast had not been previously promoted and, yet, that history is basically the same throughout the entire South Coast and has largely been determined by the geography of the area – which is why the publication of Extraordinary Histories: Amazing stories from the NSW South Coast [the first-ever ‘history’ of the entire South Coast] made so much sense, and the book has proven to be so extremely popular.)
Our aim is to widely promote the history of the NSW South Coast. We primarily do this by producing Recollections magazine, through books such as Extraordinary Histories: Amazing stories from the NSW South Coast, Fascinating Bega and Carp Street Bega, by giving talks to community groups, by organising seminars such as our day-long South Coast History Days, by conducting tours…and through this website.
We are totally dependent upon – and thankfully receive – significant support from the community. For example, we must raise almost $30,000 per year to pay for the printing of Recollections. Most of our income comes from donations (those who give $25 or more become members of the Society – meaning they are eligible to attend and vote at Annual General Meetings), advertising in Recollections, profits from book sales…and the occasional grant.
To contact South Coast History Society, visit our contact page.
