NSW & ACT Association's 2025 Annual Conference, Day 2.

 1.30AM, WHOOP, WHOOP, WHOOP, THEN EVACUATE NOW, EVACUATE NOW! Is NOT how one wishes to be woken from a deep sleep. Down three flights of stairs and joined everyone out the front, admiring the variety of 'evening wear.'  It wasn't that cold and it wasn't raining, so not to bad to be outside at that time.  (it seems it could have been one of two things, someone smoking in their room or going out the fire door, either way the $1600 fine, from the Fire Brigade would hurt.)

Day Two dawned bright and sunny and this was the main day. Six scheduled talks followed, by the Conference Dinner. 

After a welcome from the Lord Mayor of Wollongong, Tania Brown and the Association President, Gail Hanger, the John Vincent Crowe Address was delivered by Dr Richard Reid, Patron of the Illawarra Family History Group Inc. Dr Reid's address was title Fairy Meadow So Far Away: Tales of Lost Illawarra, continuing with the conference theme, They Came from Where? He spoke of his arrival in the Illawarra and of past settlers, reminding us that we all came from somewhere.

Andrew Redfern discussed Exploring Human Journeys with Artificial Intelligence. I learn more each time I hear Andrew talk on this topic. He explained how to use AI as a tool to help with your research and in preserving photos or even adding a voice to an ancestor. Certainly has me thinking I will look at it more and 'play' with it.

Christine Hingerty's talk on DNA for Family History was helpful in re-enforcing how I use my DNA matches. I enjoy hearing others discuss their DNA journeys as I learn different ways of approaching my results.

Dr Terry Joyce's talk was titled Is Resilience based on Nature or Nurture? She spoke about a nursing colleague, who had an interesting life, with several trails and how she overcame them.

Revealing the Huguenots by Neil Renaud was a very informative talk about a subject I know very little about. I had thought that the Chasmar surname might be Huguenot but after listening to Neil's talk and a discussion after, has me looking at it being a Norman surname. More research to do.

Our last speaker, for the day was Danielle Lautrec, with her talk Breaking Brick Walls: Strategies for Researching the Origins of Female Ancestors.  Using three of her female ancestors, Danielle gave us seven strategies for researching them. Things like looking for what is missing, Informed Imagination and just to put it aside and come back to it later. Like with Andrew's talks I always learn something new with Danielle, too.

Dinner was at 6.30pm, so most of us headed back to our hotels to freshen up.

Table Three Ladies.

I was at a table of Ladies only and we had a great time. Lots of chat, laughs, entertainment and the main raffle draw. I won two prizes, an Ancestry DNA kit and a 12 month subscription to the Society of Australian Genealogists. 

Tired but happy I headed to bed and slept all night. No alarms going off.