2016 in review

[[File:Andy Mabbett and Andrew Hiskens VALA2016.jpg|thumb|Andrew Hiskens and Andy Mabbett at VALA2016]]
[[File:WDTD SLWA gnangarra 19022016-101.JPG|thumb|mini conference in Perth]]
[[File:Noongarpedia Wikibomb July 2016 flyer.tif|thumb|]]
[[File:Mushroom in the Hills of Adelaide.jpg|thumb|WLE2016 Australian section winner]]

With 2016 coming to a close we look back on the great things that have been achieved by Wikimedians in Australia over the last 12 months. 

We started with celebrating 15 years of Wikipedia in Adelaide, Melbourne , and Perth, while Queenslanders kick off another year with a series of workshops. February was to become a very month of activities across the country culminating in the [[Wikidata Tour Down Under]] featuring the wonderful Andy Mabbett.

Andy gave up 3 weeks of his time to journey around Australia and Indonesia speaking and teaching about the workings of WikiData.  He started in Melbourne where spoke at the VALA2016 conference and where WMAu hosted a both in the exhibition hall for three days. Andy then visited Sydney for more talks with SLNSW and Sydney locals in meetup at the Powerhouse Museum.  Next stop was Canberra where he spoke at the ORCID conference and thet to staff at the NLA. Ending his Australian journey in Perth where spoke to approxiamately 70 people at our mini conference. There he was join with people from Toodyaypedia and Noongarpedia, two more amazing projects being supported by WMAU. Andy left us with a great set of [[Wikidata_Tour_Down_Under/Resources|resources]] before heading off to Jakarta where in partnership with WMID he finshed the tour.

March, April, May was the usual activities of local meetups and workshops. We also participated in WikiLove Earth achieving results beyond our wildest dreams with some 4000 entries. WikiClub NT kick off in Northern Territory in June with workshops, presentations, yarns, and training sessions in the Northern Territory Library. When your in the area you must stop in say hi to Caddie(WMAU committee member) and utilise the amazing set of records, and resources that are held in the library . 

As the year continued we had two Wikimedians obtain media accreditation for the Paralympics in Rio.  In the Northern Territory Caddie to the Wikiclub on the road to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and Katherine.  Of course there was the continual meetups, workshops and talks across the country.

Through their own efforts Kerry and Criag both spent some time as Wikipedian in residence at the State Library of Queensland. WMAU providing them with support through a budget to assist with the running activities should have needed it. WMAU also came to the atention of the media thanks in part to WLE and more so to ground breaking work that is the Noongarpedia project.  

Assisting with the Noongarpedia project over the last 2-3 years has been an amazing experience, what it has achieved is something everyone should experience. They are finalising the first major report about the work and soon as its released we'll share it.  Looking ahead we will be going back to Darwin(Wikiclub NT) to share the Noongarpedia work and further expand the work with the local community.  It would have been noce to say here we are preparing for Wikimania in 2018 but that didnt come to fruition because Australia is just too far away. WMAU hopes to turn this disappointment into greater opportunities for Australians to attend events elsewhere.  WMAU is working on developing a conference in Perth in 2017 so that Australians and anyone else who is interested can experience first hand the impact of Noongarpedia and the Toodyaypedia WikiTown.  

WLE2017 and WLM2017 are open for someone to step up and lead WLE will relatively easy as basically you'll just need to follow on from 2016.  WLM will need a little more preparation online but then the sooner someone chooses to run with the more time they will have.

Please share your experiences of contributing to the projects in 2016 and we all look forward to brighter, happier, and lots more contributions into the years ahead.  
Ohh and I almost forgot on the 1st Feb 2007 Wikimedians in Perth met in person for the first time, so if your in Perth then come join our 10 year party.

==WMAU community memories of 2016==

[[Category:2016]]