Matthew Higgins: 'Surveyors at the snowline'

Matthew considers why the ACT border is where it is, who the surveyors were, how they marked the border and what they experienced. This is a tale of three young men – two of whose names are commemorated in modern Canberra- working partly in some of Australia’s most rugged mountain country and living under canvas. One of them got snowed-in, two had young wives with them, while one drove a Model T Ford and had a quirky sense of humour. The surveyors’ field books are archives of considerable heritage significance and historical interest.

Matthew Higgins has been working in Canberra as a professional historian for 30 years. He is an award winning author and documentary film maker. HIs most recent book Rugged Beyond Imagination: Stories from an Australian Mountain Region (NMA Press 2009), was shortlisted for the ACT Book of the Year Award 2010.  Matthew’s work on the ACT Border in 1996 was recognized with an ACT Heritage Award.  Matthew is passionate about the Australian high country and he bushwalks and cross-country skis as often as opportunity allows.