General Information

Visas and Invitation Letters

Invitation letters are not required by the Australian Department of Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) for visa applications. As such, we do not issue personalised invitation letters for the conference. Visit the DIMIA website for visa information. Due to strict visa requirements for the countries listed below, registrations and presentations will not be confirmed until the applicant has obtained a visa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Kenya, Somalia, Iran, Pakistan, Algeria, Libya, Egypt.

Disclaimer

While we endeavour to ensure all information provided is accurate, details are subject to change without notice.

Special Requirements    

Please note any special requirements, for example dietary or mobility, when registering for the conference. All special requests will be noted and, where possible, catered for. For pre-arranged special dietary requirements please make yourself known to the waiting staff at all functions.

Smoking

The entire Parramatta Campus of the University of Western Sydney is non-smoking.

Photocopying at the Conference

There are limited photocopying facilities at the conference venue, so please ensure you bring a sufficient number of any handouts. For special printing needs, we recommend using a commercial printer like Kwik Kopy in Parramatta. For more information please visit their website.

ATM (Cash Machines) & Vending Machines

A banking machine (ATM) and snack food vending machines are available in building EA. The ATM is located close to the road-side entrance of the building and the vending machines are located near the internal centrally-placed lifts.

Dress

Dress throughout DH2015 is neat casual.

Privacy

Conference Design Pty Ltd will gather and record personal information necessary for your attendance at the Conference. Personal information will be gathered, stored and disseminated in accordance with Australia’s National Privacy Principles.

Travel Options

There are many options for travel to and from the Parramatta South Campus at the University of Western Sydney. To travel to the City, you can catch the M52 or 520 from the bus stop just across the road, opposite the main campus entrance. To travel to Parramatta from UWS, most buses at this bus stop go there.

There is also the Rydalmere Train Station nearby which is about a ten minute walk away. To go to the City, you catch the T6 Carlingford Line and disembark at Clyde. From Clyde, you catch the T1 Emu Plains to City or Richmond to City service. To travel to Parramatta, you catch the T6 Carlingford Line and disembark at Clyde. From Clyde, you catch the City to Emu Plains or City to Richmond service. Train times are available from here.

Alternatively, it takes less than 30 minutes to walk from central Parramatta along the Parramatta River to the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta South campus.

Weather

Sydney winters can be sunny and mild, but you should plan to dress for mild to cool conditions. The average temperature range is around 8°C (46°F) at night to 16°C (61°F) in the daytime in mid-winter.

Around Sydney

The Blue Mountains are a perfect day trip for the adventurous and those who wish to see spectacular scenery. It is also worth spending a weekend in the mountains.

Self-guided

There are numerous walks. The best known starts at Katoomba, with a view of the Three Sisters and from there relatively gentle walks. More challenging are the walks from Wentworth Falls and Blackheath. One can reach the mountains by train (the Blue Mountains Line) from Sydney, Central Train Station (circa 2 hours). On the weekends it is only $11.90 return. It is worth getting a very early train (there is a train departing Central at 7.18am or, for early risers there is a train at 5.48am). After the two-hour train journey you should allow another 30-60 minutes to get to a starting point. It can be significantly colder in the mountains than in Sydney so check the weather. The following walks offer stunning views:

Three Sisters Walk (1 km, easy). Take the train from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba. From Katoomba, there is a local bus that goes to the Three Sisters.

Wentworth Falls – Overcliff/Undercliff walk (6kms, hard). Take the train from Sydney Central Station to Wentworth Falls Station. From there either walk or take a local bus to the lookout (2 km) to start the walk.

Echo Point/Prince Henry Cliff Walk/Katoomba Falls (4 km, easy). Take the train from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba. From Katoomba, there is a local bus that goes to the Three Sisters.

Govetts Leap to Evans Lookout (6 km, medium). Take the train from Sydney Central Station to Blackheath. From Blackheath train station, there is a local bus that goes to Govetts Leap.

It is also possible to travel to Katoomba by train and simply get on a tourist bus which  takes you to all the major lookouts (Wentworth Falls, Three Sisters and Govetts Leap).

Wine and the Hunter Valley

Australian wines are very fine. The better ones tend not to be exported, so if you enjoy good wine consider bringing back a bottle or two, sealed up in a padded plastic envelope called a “wine skin” that allows one to transport bottles without fear of breakage. For advice on wine, the Australian Wine Centre in Circular Quay is one very good place to go. Expect a good wine to cost at least AUD $30.

One of the best wine-growing regions in the country is the Hunter Valley, near Newcastle, on the Central Coast north of Sydney. To visit this famous wine region it is best to book one of the numerous day tours. These trips tend to be aimed very much at the tourists but they do allow one to sample the goods in some of the wineries.

The State Library of New South Wales

DH2015 will be launched with a special guest speaker, Rachel Frick (Digital Public Library of America), and a Welcome Reception hosted and sponsored by the State Library of New South Wales in collaboration with the third International Linked Open Data in Libraries, Archives, and Museums Summit (LODLAM), with the support of the Australasian Association for Digital Humanities (aaDH).

The State Library of New South Wales is a large reference and research library open to the public. It is the oldest library in Australia. The library is located on the corner of Macquarie Street, Sydney and Shakespeare Place, adjacent to the Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens. The library is a member of the National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) consortium.

Special Guest Lecture

Bridges, Transitions and Trust: Lessons for  Networked Communities
Rachel Frick, Digital Public Library of America

When we think of networks, we tend to focus on the network’s hubs and not the spaces in between, those critical transition points connecting network. Many things can be inferred about the nature of a network hub based on the quality and characteristics of its connections.  Connections can be abrupt or seamless, apparent or permeable . From a cultural heritage perspective, and one that advocates open access, the ideal transitions should be is smooth, maximizing information flow between environments, with minimal disruption. When considering information flow across the digital network, there are many parallels with transportation networks and bridges.

Bridges are a great metaphor for how we should approach connections in our digital information systems and the communities that support them. Not only do bridges inspire with their beauty, but when examined closely, its possible to see the incredible number of discrete, individual decisions and points of collaboration needed to create a successful bridge. Bridges are where math, science, and art combine with best practice, clear communication, and dedication. From small spans to the grandest arch, bridges demonstrate how architecture coexists with engineering, how steel and concrete through craftsmanship and construction, combine to create a physical manifestation of form, function, and artistic grace.  Bridge building requires aligning many visions and talents aligned towards one purpose, that of crossing  and connecting, of movement. Reflecting on the lesson of the bridge, is something we should do as we work in earnest to share resources and link our collections, expertise and experiences towards a richer, networked world.

Curio App

Find out about cultural activities at the State Library of New South Wales. Upcoming public events include exhibitions, talks, movies, courses and workshops. View a selection of items from current exhibitions, book an event, or find out when the Library is open, where we are located and who to contact for more information.

Digital Humanities is the annual international conference of the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations (ADHO)

This will be the first time that the annual Digital Humanities conference is being held outside of Europe and North America in its 26-year history. The theme of Global Digital Humanities acknowledges the field’s expansion worldwide across disciplines, cultures and languages.

DH2015 is hosted by the University of Western Sydney’s Digital Humanities Research Group, a leader in collaborative digital humanities in the Asia-Pacific region. The conference is held in partnership with the State Library of New South Wales and in collaboration with GovHack 2015 and the third International Linked Open Data in Libraries, Archives, and Museums Summit (LODLAM).

The conference will give visitors a truly Australian experience. Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a meeting place for the Asia-Pacific region, with iconic architectural landmarks such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, in a stunning natural harbour setting. The World Heritage listed Blue Mountains are within easy reach of Sydney.

July is the perfect time for an Australian adventure, using Sydney as your base. Explore the Great Barrier Reef, the vast interior and Uluru, the tropical rainforests of the Daintree or the famous islands and beaches of northern and southern Australia.

The University of Western Sydney has been named one of the world’s best 100 universities under the age of 50, by the Times Higher Education rankings. It is a national leader in the development of digital humanities, with Australia’s first Chair in Digital Humanities.

The main conference program will take place on the historic Parramatta campus, in the multicultural heart of Western Sydney. Parramatta is connected to central Sydney via train, bus and ferry services that ply the Sydney harbour. It was the first inland European settlement in Australia, founded the same year as Sydney in 1788. Aboriginal clans have occupied this area for more than 40,000 years. The conference will also feature a guest speaker at the State Library of New South Wales, which has exceptionally rich collections of Australian literature and manuscript material relating to Australia, and major digitisation programs.