About the Society

ASHA was founded in 1970 to promote the study of historical archaeology in Australia. Originally known as the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology, in 1991 the Society was expanded to include New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region generally, and its name was changed to the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology.

ASHA is an incorporated society run by members. Membership is open to all those who are interested in historical archaeology – practitioners, students, and amateurs alike.

Our core activities include the publication of the annual journal Australasian Historical Archaeology, a blog, and an annual conference, which attracts both local and international speakers. We also publish monographs and other publications, and organise public lectures and workshops for archaeological practitioners. We also manage an email discussion list for members and have a social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

In 2007, we established annual awards to celebrate the achievements of historical archaeologists working and studying in Australasia. These are currently awarded each May, to coincide with National Archaeology Week.

The Arches’ – Longridge convict site, Norfolk Island (courtesy of Martin Gibbs)

Society Organisation

Anita Yousif, ASHA President, addressing the 2022 conference in Russell, NZ.
Anita Yousif, ASHA President, addressing the 2022 conference in Russell, NZ.

ASHA is run by a committee comprised of members from across Australasia who are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. The current committee can be viewed here.

Dozens of members have made an active contribution by serving on the committee. For a list of past committees click here. We also host a list of published obituaries and tributes for notable archaeologists and heritage practitioners.

In 2019, the ASHA committee under President Anita Yousif developed a five year strategic plan, available to download.

ASHA is an incorporated association in the State of New South Wales. Our Incorporation No. is Y0118406. Our Constitution may be viewed here.