History & heritage

I was honoured to get a Hall of Fame Award from the Barastoc Horse of the Year Show committee and I think a pocket history of the show is needed. What other event has had the same naming rights sponsor for 54 years making the name so established it can’t be separated from the title?

Rod Moss. Bernadine Johnson, Ricky Ryder, Aureole Perkins, Therese Johnson and Arthur Webb are wandering in search of the purple-flowered plant  awele awele, the bush tomato. Looking for bush tucker was a weekend pursuit. How gratifying to see these activities continuing apace in the formal structure provided by Children’s Ground/  Ampe-kenhe Ahelh.

It must never happen again. February 16, marks 40 years since Ash Wednesday when 120,000ha in the heart of the SE was destroyed by fire. The inferno was fanned by 110km winds in 44C temperatures and killed 14 South Easterners, including Lucindale’s Brian Nosworthy, Peter O’Leary and Andrew Lemke.

Nestled in our backyard, the popular Backroads Trail launched a new podcast last week sharing the stories of farmers, community members, artists and business owners. The six-part series titled ‘The Backroads Trail Podcast’ explores the origins of the Backroads Trail, which includes 22 attractions covering Echuca-Moama, Womboota, Bunnaloo, Barham-Koondrook, Caldwell, Deniliquin and Mathoura.  

The people of the small Victorian town of Violet Town are quietly celebrating after being awarded a national art award ... The Southern Aurora Memorial project commenced in 2018 after many chats between Gary Abley and Bruce Cumming about the need to better remember the Southern Aurora Disaster in February 1969 and its significant impact on many people, and to clearly acknowledge the amazing voluntary efforts at the time.

A memorial garden that incorporates unique street art and honours those affected by one of Australia’s worst train crashes has been named as the best monument to see in Australia. The Southern Aurora Memorial, a project managed by the residents of Violet Town, has received the Gold Award for the Best Monument or Memorial at the 2022 Australian Street Art Awards.

This week a team of ‘dino hunters’ will embark on the first ‘dinosaur dig’ at Inverloch since the Covid-19 pandemic, as Bass Coast Shire Council ramps up plans for a $40 million world-class Dinosaurs Trail to celebrate the area’s fascinating pre-historic heritage.

Chairperson, Friends of the Liberty Theatre and Cultural Centre Inc, Bimbi Turner said the funding will help the theatre show classic and current release films for the community to enjoy, having been denied such pleasure for far too long. "This $250,000 grant is extremely exciting for the Friends of the Liberty Theatre and Cultural Centre Inc. in bringing to life the entertainment for the broader community in this iconic 1939 cinema by once again being able to show films."

The Australian Government has nominated Murujuga Cultural Landscape for inscription on the World Heritage List. The formal nomination was submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in late January 2023. If accepted, Murujuga would be the second site in Australia listed for World Heritage Status for First Nations cultural heritage.

Come and enjoy a family fun day at the 133rd Wynyard Show, the district’s authentic country Show. Marvel at the magnificent livestock, horses, poultry and cage birds on display. See popular woodchopping events and watch carriage driving on the main oval.  

While Sir John Monash rightly holds the distinction of being Australia’s greatest ever General, there was another Australian who came a close second to Monash in the annals of Australian Military History. And it was his humility which partially smoothed Monash’s bumpy road to command of the Australia Corp in 1918. But because of this, he is quite often overlooked when the Great War Generals are discussed.

Thanks to all the hard working Committee and Volunteers who made the Allora Heritage Weekend such a great success. The weekend brings many visitors to our town, meaning a real boost to local businesses.

Karen Giles. Rodney Giles (Gerry) passed away peacefully at home on Friday 20th, January ... Rod’s working life on Lord Howe included unloading the ship (from age 15 to age 60), the Lord Howe Island Board and many island lodges but his passion was Ned’s Beach shed.

When Dino Polese was three years old, he went looking for his father Angelo in the banana crops at Naughtons Gap. He got tired and fell asleep under a tree. “They came and found me,” Dino said. “They” refers to the Italian community who settled in Naughtons Gap near Casino between 1945 and the late 1970s.

This year The Maldon Athenaeum Library will have been operating as our local library for 160 years. Its inaugural meeting was held on January 26, 1863, when several good citizens of the town gathered to establish the original Maldon Athenaeum Mechanics Institute.

Palm House in Maldon is an impressive example of a pristine, well-preserved heritage home with all the Victorian charm that is part of Maldon. Situated on High Street, south of the township, serving as a B&B and loved home for Andrew and Amanda Fedorowicz, the residence is a step back in time.

Nothing will stop the popular weekend this year - after a postponement then a cancellation in 2022 everyone is ready for an action packed two days of displays, demonstrations and swap meets this Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th January.