A new advisory & research practice

History Journeys

Jim Wheeler MAACAI · GAICD Heritage Advisor & Archaeologist

Heritage as partnership, not just paperwork.

Archaeology as research, not just compliance.

History Journeys helps government, First Nations communities and education partners conserve, understand and celebrate the places and stories that matter — going deeper than compliance to deliver work of real value.

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For too long, heritage has been treated as a grudge purchase — a box to tick, a cost to manage, a process to survive. There is a better approach.

After more than two decades at the leading edge of cultural heritage practice in Australia and overseas, I started History Journeys to work differently — to move past adversarial, process-driven systems and toward genuine partnership.

That means treating heritage as an asset to be understood and celebrated, not an obstacle to be cleared. It means research that goes deep, advice that builds capability, and outcomes that actually deliver what the process was always meant to: places conserved, stories told, and communities connected to their past.

What we do

Four ways to work together

Senior, independent expertise across the full arc of heritage — from boardroom strategy to the field, from discussions on Country to the classroom.

Heritage advisory & strategy

Trusted, independent advice to leaders, boards, Traditional Owners and agencies on heritage governance, policy, strategic planning and placemaking that builds capability and offers durable, practical solutions.

Governance · Policy · Placemaking 02

Research & discovery

Original archaeological and historical research that goes deep — uncovering, interpreting and making sense of the human story in a place, and opening up new questions worth asking.

Archaeology · History · Cultural values 03

Story, interpretation & cultural tourism

Turning research into experiences people connect with: interpretation, history communication and cultural tourism that bring places and their stories vividly to life.

Interpretation · Storytelling · Tourism 04

Teaching, training & mentoring

Building the next generation of practice through university teaching, in-house training and mentoring, grounded in 25+ years of leading real-world projects and teams.

Teaching · Capability · Mentoring

The approach

A different relationship with the past

Every engagement is built on partnership and shaped by four commitments.

Partner

Genuine partnerships that go beyond transactional service provision to truly understand our partners' needs and identify durable solutions. Traditional Owner partnerships founded on the bedrock of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

Understand

Ask better questions and do the deep research, so decisions rest on genuine knowledge, expertise and experience. We go beyond the checklist into the fascinating detail of the past, where the real value and meaning lie.

Conserve & celebrate

Protect and care for the places, objects and landscapes that have meaning and value. Share what we find by telling the engaging stories that connect communities to their heritage and their history.

Resolve

Deliver lasting solutions built on best practice and deep engagement, giving partners real certainty rather than short-term fixes. We earn social licence and build the enduring relationships that see complex projects through.

Who we help

Partners, not just clients in a project pipeline

In this initial chapter, History Journeys works alongside organisations whose missions are about people, place and the public good.

Government agencies

Local, state and federal departments, statutory bodies and government-owned entities in heritage, environment, planning, land management, infrastructure and culture.

Not-for-profits

Member organisations, foundations and community groups in heritage and adjacent fields.

Traditional Owner & community bodies

Aboriginal corporations and community organisations leading and partnering on Country.

Universities & research

Tertiary institutions and research bodies seeking teaching, collaboration and expertise.

History Journeys is currently focused on these four sectors. For private-sector commercial proponents, I continue to support Extent Heritage in a Special Advisor capacity — enquiries about private-sector scopes where I can assist in partnership with Extent Heritage are welcome.

About

Jim Wheeler

For more than 25 years I've worked at the intersection of archaeology, cultural heritage and the practical realities of getting things done — from Pleistocene-era Aboriginal sites beneath the Carrum Swamp, to medieval excavations in Ireland, to the boardrooms where heritage policy meets infrastructure deadlines.

Along the way I've led major projects on some of Australia's most sensitive and iconic heritage landscapes — including the Old Melbourne Cemetery at Queen Victoria Market, the Hanging Rock Precinct, and the Western Highway Stage 2B upgrade — and pioneered new approaches to cultural landscapes and the submerged archaeology and cultural values of Sea Country.

Over 23 years I helped build AHMS and then Extent Heritage into one of Australia's most respected cultural heritage consultancies, serving as Founding Managing Director. Extent's tenth anniversary felt like the right moment to explore new horizons and make space for its emerging leaders. I continue with Extent as a Special Advisor, while launching History Journeys as a new advisory and research consultancy.

Honorary Senior Lecturer, ANU ICCROM Research Fellow, 2019 Chair, AACAI (Victoria) GAICD 2010 Laila Haglund Prize Special Advisor, Extent Heritage Partner Investigator, Malo to Mabo ARC Discovery

Download my CV (PDF) Follow on LinkedIn

Contact

Let's talk about your place, project or programme.

Whether you're shaping a strategy, planning research, or looking for a partner who'll treat your heritage with the care it deserves, we would love to assist.

jim@historyjourneys.com +61 414 257 264 LinkedIn