Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA) holds extensive archaeological material generated though decades of excavation. Past approaches to collection management, however, has separated it from broader collection systems, limiting accessibility and obscuring its significance within the wider organisational context. In recent years, PAHSMA have been advancing a more integrated, whole-of-collection approach that brings archaeological material into alignment with established collection management regimes.

About the speakers:

• Sylvana Szydzik is an archaeologist focused on the preservation and research of three of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property that are managed by the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA). With over 15 years' experience in heritage conservation and management, she has played a key role in excavation, survey, and research initiatives. She is the co-author of Recovering Convict Lives (Sydney University Press, 2021), a major study on the Port Arthur Penitentiary’s archaeology. Szydzik also serves on the Tasmanian Heritage Council’s Archaeology Advisory Panel, contributing her expertise to heritage management and preservation efforts across Tasmania.

• Michael Smith is a Conservation Project Officer in collections management at Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA), a position he has held for over 15 years. Coming from a silversmithing background, he was introduced to the museum world through exhibition installation. He later worked as a technician specializing in large-objects conservation and trained with International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). At PAHSMA, he looks after the moveable cultural heritage across three sites within the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property: Port Arthur, the Coal Mines, and Cascades Female Factory.

This talk is part of Unearthed 2026, a series of programs recognising the contributions of archaeology to our knowledge and understanding of Australian convict heritage hosted by Port Arthur Historic Site. Find details for all four talks here.

When: 12.30-1.30pm AEST, Thursday 21 May 2026

Where: Online (via Teams)

Registration: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ff4f730b-0475-4943-878f-c6e88933ebc4@f8518a28-b2e6-4c41-8f1e-bff24bcf0121

Image: Detail of archaeologically recovered clay smoking pipe fragments on display in the Port Arthur Visitor Centre. Image courtesy: PAHSMA.