Frugal and hard working, the history of German farmers in the southern Riverina will be explored in a free public lecture by Charles Sturt University (CSU) cultural heritage expert Associate Professor Dirk Spennemann in Deniliquin on Wednesday 15 August. German settlement began in the mid 1860s and in this illustrated talk, Professor Spennemann will examine their contribution to farming and the social fabric of the region. “Driven by the proverbial Protestant work ethic, German farmers were generally well respected at the time,” he said. “A typical household contained heirlooms such as family bibles, items sourced from Germany including wedding porcelain along with books and utensils unavailable in Australia.” A member of  CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS),  Professor Spennemann’s research interests include German colonial heritage in Oceania and the conceptual understanding of contemporary and emergent heritage such as modern architecture, space exploration and robotics. He is also a photographic artist who interprets heritage issues through visual media.