A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Saturday 17 May 2008

Olde Time Adventure For Young And Over 40s


OLDE TIME ADVENTURE FOR YOUNG AND OVER 40s.

The New England Colonial Living History Group is a non-profit group dedicated to keeping pioneer skills alive, through 18th century living history and experimental archaeology. At present we are looking for new members to join our group.
Our main period of interest is 1700-1760 in the New World. We chose the new world because it gives us more freedom of choice in nationalities, period living skills, wilderness survival skills, trekking scenarios, period tools, and clothing styles. Also of course Australia was not settled in our period of interest.
Our main activity is Historical Trekking, that is hiking and camping 18th century style. We only use original items or copies of 17thc.-18thc. Items, including clothing and equipment. Our campfires are lit using flint, steel and tinderbox or fire-bow. Our food is roasted or boiled in a period trade cook kettle, which is small enough to fit in our knapsacks. We don’t usually carry period tents, except when we attend Living History Rendezvous, because they are too heavy. Instead we carry period oil cloth and build our shelter on-site.
We are strong on period living skills and primitive wilderness survival skills and practice these as normal activities on historical treks. Some of the skills we learn and practice are: Flint and steel fire lighting, fire-bow fire lighting, spinning and loom weaving, finger weaving, tomahawk throwing, survival shelter construction, wet weather fire lighting, open fire cooking, primitive tool construction, and more.
For those who wish to practice the skills from the comfort of a warm fire in winter, our group holds meeting at Elm Cottage in Wychwood Forest, not far from Armidale on the Old Armidale road which leads to Guyra. The back road from Guyra is a short cut for those coming from Glen Innes and Inverell.
The New England Colonial Living History Group charges no membership fees, as we are all volunteers. There is only a small charge for individuals to pay for insurance cover, and this is payed to the Australia Living History Federation, of which we are members.
There is no age limit for membership, though parents and guardians are responsible for minors. Most of our members are over 40, though we do have some young family members.
If you are looking to make new friends, or looking for a hobby, interested in history or primitive skills or wilderness survival, or just looking for something to do on weekends or for something the whole family can participate in, then our group could be just what you are looking for. We have regular meetings on the first Sunday of each month, though historical treks and drive-in camps can be organised at any time to suit individual members. If you think you might be interested, and want more information, please contact: Mr Keith H. Burgess. Phone 67 755 292.
Email: historicaltrekker@gmail.com Post: Mr Keith H. Burgess, Wychwood Forest, MSF 2007, Armidale 2350.
We also have two internet sites: http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/
And at: http://skirmishmagazine.ning.com/ which is the forum for Living History Worldwide.

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