A new tool to explore our history

What Makes the Investigator Assistant Different

The Assistant does far more than point users to a page number. It actively helps them understand the material, follow threads across decades, and explore topics in depth. Its capabilities include:

• Text retrieval — Users receive a clear synopsis of relevant passages along with precise citations.
• Conversational research — Questions can be asked in natural language, and the Assistant responds in the same way.
• Cross‑referencing — People, places, and events are connected across multiple articles and eras.
• Entity extraction — Names of individuals, businesses, and locations are identified automatically.
• Context retention — The Assistant remembers the flow of a conversation, enabling multi‑step research.

These are tools normally found in large institutional archives. The Society now has a tool that manages this within the budget of a volunteer‑run community organisation.

What You Can Ask?

The Assistant supports a wide range of research styles, from quick fact‑finding to deep historical analysis. Examples include:

• Specific details
  “Who built the first house in Geelong?”
• Natural follow‑up questions
  “Who built the first brick house?”
• Cross‑referencing and summarising
  “Summarise the impact of the building of the Breakwater on local manufacturing.”
• Conversational continuity
  “Which local tanneries, wool‑scourers, or fellmongeries located below the breakwater are we talking about?”
• Exploring a specific article
  “What is Lou Lane’s article Those Foreigners about?”
• Advanced entity extraction
  “Who does Lou Lane introduce to the reader in this article?”
• Identity resolution
  “Give me a list of the people named in this article.”
  “Who is ‘Jockey’ Barnes?”
• Biographical research
  “Who is Lou Lane?”
• Tabular output
  “What shipwrecks are there around Point Lonsdale?”
  “Show me these in a table.”
• Error‑aware responses
  “I looked at the sources you quoted and could not find an All England Cricket XI playing in Geelong in 1864.”

These examples show how the Assistant adapts to the user’s needs, whether you are exploring a single article or tracing a theme across decades.

You can also view the slideshow for a more detailed explanation:

Why This Project Matters

The Investigator Assistant opens the Society’s archive to a wider audience than ever before. It allows members, students, genealogists, and regional historians to explore local history instantly and intuitively. It removes barriers to research and demonstrates how modern tools can amplify the work of a volunteer‑led organisation.

Most importantly, it brings the archive to life. The Investigator Assistant makes it possible to follow threads, uncover forgotten stories, and connect people and events across time, all through simple, conversational questions.

The result is a more accessible, more dynamic, and more engaging way to explore Geelong’s past.

Members can use the Investigator Assistant by clicking this link: