Congratulations Pete!

In December 2020 – Peter Hoban – longstanding ENVi committee member was awarded an AMAGA Vic Lifetime Achievement Award.

We would like to share this exciting news and offer Pete our belated congratulations and thank him for being an inspirational and supportive leader.

Peter has been a driving member of the ENVi committee for over 15 years. He has been an office bearer in the roles of Secretary, Treasurer and President. He is highly active, thoughtful, positive and effective in his contributions to the Network and the Museum Education profession more broadly. Peter has recalled with us about having attended Victorian Educator Network sector events 27 years ago.

His enthusiasm to provide meaningful opportunities for professional development and collaboration have inspired his colleagues and contributed to the strength and longevity of the both the sector and education networks. Peter has consistently been a helpful and respectful collaborator – enjoying sharing his own knowledge as well as learning from others. He has developed new professional development opportunities and helped connect the network more strongly into regional Victoria.

Peter has a calm gentleness coupled with a genuine passion for teaching, history and engaging with students and with peers. ENVi committee members have had the pleasure of seeing him in his ‘native habitat’ (Sovereign Hill), but most often it was at ENVi and National Network meetings and events. He rarely missed one, despite the commute to Melbourne (he often says, ‘it’s further from Melbourne to Ballarat, than it is from Ballarat to Melbourne).

Ever generous with his time, Peter not only held office for ENVi and the National Network but has been instrumental in the planning and delivery of conferences, networking events, research, professional excursions and site visits. Doing all of this with apparent ease. These included stand-alone programs, sessions in larger professional development offerings and some of ENVi’s first forays into online programs – particularly our Covid responsive Silver Linings conference and video series, which took a fair bit of bravery. All of this was due to his belief in and passion for museum education.

Through his work at Sovereign Hill and for ENVi Peter has been an important mentor to early-career and seasoned museum and gallery educators. He helped to build passion, skills and opportunities right across the sector.

Since his retirement from Sovereign Hill Peter has continued on as an ENVi committee member his commitment to the sector and his desire to support the educators working in it and the students they engage has not diminished.

A lifetime of achievement: ever ready to help, every ready to lead – long may he stay a contributor!

Thank you Pete!