Choose your own project path
Answer three focused questions and receive a tailored sequence for research, themes, audiences, media and evaluation.
A field guide that grows with the handbook
From heritage information to interpretation that matters.
Turn the handbook into action through guided pathways, practical tools and an always-current knowledge base.
204pages indexed
6learning areas
166glossary terms
1 Research and significance
2 Theme and audience
3 Media and evaluation
Built around ethical practice, cultural authority, accessibility, evidence, evaluation and ongoing review.
More than a PDF reader
A practical workspace for learning and doing
Read in small sections, test ideas, build a project pathway and return to saved work whenever the handbook changes.
Theme lab
Turn a topic into a complete, relevant and provocative theme using the handbook’s “so what?” test.
Media explorer
Compare personal, physical and digital options against environment, budget, accessibility and maintenance needs.
Searchable glossary
Find definitions across interpretation, First Nations cultural protocols, archaeology, museums, planning and media.
Progress and workbook
Bookmark sections, mark learning complete and export your project choices and theme drafts as a reusable workbook.
Always current
Administrators can upload a revised PDF, review the extracted version and publish it without rebuilding the site.
Inside the guide
Five core chapters, plus a resource studio
The site follows the handbook’s structure while breaking long content into focused, navigable sections.
Chapter 1
What is Heritage Interpretation?
Heritage interpretation, or as I describe it, “cultural, natural and/or historical interpretation”, covers a broad range of methods, frameworks, and approaches for engaging visitors and audiences, and for our purposes, at heritage sites and locations. It can be something planned, developed, and crafted, or something delivered on the spot, in any setting, unexpectedly and spontaneously. Many definitions have been…
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Chapter 2
Context Matters
Australia's heritage landscape is extraordinary in its complexity. For interpreters working in this environment, diversity is not a challenge to be managed; it is the very condition of practice. Understanding the various types of heritage we encounter, how they interact and integrate, and the interpretive approaches best suited to each is foundational to effective, ethical, and engaging work. At the same time,…
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Chapter 3
Interpretation Planning
Effective interpretation can require a little or a lot of careful planning, depending on the particular situation, project, practitioner, and the what, when, where, and for whom. Regardless, it should always consider the significance of the item being interpreted, the audience's needs, conservation requirements, and, as practicality demands, available resources. A good interpretation planning process typically…
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Chapter 4
Themes, Sub-themes and Topics
Figure 34 Wolfe Creek Crater in Western Australia. Dating shows that the meteorite that formed the landform crashed about 300,000 years ago. Long known to Aboriginal people, who called it Kandimalal, it was only “discovered” during an aerial survey in 1947. Imagine standing at the edge of the Wolfe Creek Crater in Western Australia. A sign could tell you: “Wolfe Creek Crater – approximately 880 metres across and…
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Chapter 5
Interpretation Techniques and Media
Personal interpretation involves direct communication between interpreters and visitors through guided tours, talks, demonstrations, and informal conversations. Despite technological advances, personal interpretation remains highly effective because humans connect with humans (Brochu & Merriman, 2008). A skilled interpreter adapts to audience interests, answers questions, responds to visitor cues, and creates…
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Resource studio
Resources
What is this interpretation broadly about? (one or two words) e.g. Convict labour / Gold rush migration / Colonial-era farming / Indigenous bush
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