The Meredith History Interest Group (MHIG) started in 2008.
The Meredith History Interest Group preserves, records and exhibits the history of Meredith and District .
The MHIG provides the opportunity to locals and visitors an understanding of the town of Meredith and its people, past and present.
The MHIG holds records of pioneering families, early industry, businesses, festivals and events and buildings.
The MHIG is committed to preserving local history through the development and preservation of a collection of historical documents, artifacts, manuscripts and memorabilia.
It is the aim of the MHIG to expand individual and collective knowledge about our unique local heritage, resulting in a greater sense of community and civic pride.
From modest beginnings, the organization has grown to a membership of around 100.
MHIG is run by an active group of volunteers and welcomes members to our working parties. Volunteer groups contribute to preserving and displaying the history of Meredith through answering research requests, hosting exhibits, educational programs and publications.
We maintain a research library of past and current literature on the history of Meredith and District.
The MHIG publishes a regular newsletter which contains articles on topics of local interest, historical and heritage matters, research reports and information about exhibitions and events held.
The MHIG meets on a regular basis for meetings and events at the Old Shire Hall or the Memorial Hall in Meredith.
Meetings:
Committee Meetings: Third Tuesday of the Month 10.30am
General Meetings: At least four meetings per year, March, May, August and December.
Extraordinary Meetings: Date and times at the discretion of the Committee.
Volunteers meet every Thursday to catalogue, research, organize events and welcome visitors.
The committee for 2024 is as follows:
President Marg Cooper
Vice-president Darren Guthrie
Secretary Kerrie Kruger
Treasurer Gail Hadley
Committee Bev Loveday
Committee Alan Caddy
Committee Jan McDonald
Committee Andre Konarski
Committee Paul Ryan
Committee Tony Scott
Life Members
Life Members was presented to Margaret Cooper and Fay McFarlane for their dedication to MHIG since 2008.
Marg still is the current President 2008- 2024.
Fay McFarlane filled the role of Treasurer / Secretary /committee member from 2008 to 2023.
They both worked tirelessly to preserve local history and published many books between them.
Long serving committee member Paul Ryan , presented medal and certificate honoring these amazing ladies.
2024 Annual General Meeting President’s Report
Marg Cooper
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
Marg Cooper
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
President’s Report for Annual Meeting of MHIG, February 2024.
Before I report on the year that was I want to tell you about the attractive addition to the History Centre that happened very recently. We have a new letterbox but it is so attractive and unique that we have put it beside the path just before the entrance….we’ll use it for outgoing mail rather than ingoing mail. Geoff Douglass of the Men’s Shed at Buninyong made the letterbox and Jenny Colvin former Kindergarten Teacher paid for it. It is so attractive and unique because it is a replica of the bluestone building that it stands in front of. I invite you all to admire it…and thankyou to Geoff, the Men’s Shed and Jenny.
We started last year with the Annual Meeting here in the Memorial Hall and then Tony Scott gave a presentation on the SS Great Britain that some of his forbears had come to Australia in. It was an amazing ship that made so many trips.
Other events that we held was an Open day on May 7. We chose the theme of Communications Thru the Ages. We all appreciate that methods of communicating have changed radically in our lifetimes. One part of the display was phones. Darren brought some of his collection. I can tell you that his collection has exploded since May…he now has exchanges and connected to one he has 40 phones! Scones, jam and cream prepared by our wonder cook Gail was also an attraction for the Open Day.
In August we held a Treasure Day. We have held a few of these days over the years but different people coming always present with a variety of articles that are a treasure to them and of interest to the rest of us.
And we held our big Morrisons Photo Exhibition in October in this hall. Some of us worked on that project for over 9 months and managed to collect an amazing number of photographs. Sometimes/often things turn up like the extraordinary photos of what I called enterprise…of haystacks, thrashing machines, bags of onion all over a paddock at Moreep, stacks of wood, etc. We are now compiling the photos into a book that will be printed later in 2024. Thankyou to the people who donated to help us present the exhibition and thankyou to the people who have already donated towards the printing of the book.
Thankyou to the Golden Plains Shire for the new bridge over the gutter on the street outside the History Centre. Prior to this there was a concrete culvert that was broken and dangerous. Thankyou also to GPs for the new Air Conditioner after the Gas Heater had a hissy fit!
We had a presence at Art on the Farm at Steve Duffy’s farm on Taylors Road in March. We made small show bags for the visitors promoting MHIG and Meredith.
The Bendigo Bank in Buninyong held a promotion early last year, we applied and were given some coupons that allowed the holder to spend the amount shown, in Buninyong
for an allotted time. We put some under seats at the Annual Meeting and some we gave out at the working bee we held in April.
I wonder what we have hidden under your posteriors today!
Tony produced four Newsletters, with some contributed articles, for MHIG during 2023 and they were emailed or mailed to members.
The Street Library is still popular and the Street Nursery pays for maintenance of the grounds, both the mowing and the garden. Bev has the new front garden blooming beautifully…always something to grab your attention and a very pleasing entrance to MHIG.
And another toilet at the Music Festival was decorated. Because it came just after our exhibition, we made the them Morrisons and while we stuck photos, Darren painted the Moorabool River complete with waterfalls, on three walls of the loo. We were designated a disabled toilet this year which meant it wasn’t so squishy.
Lots of people visited MHIG from visitors walking the street to people researching their family who had lived in Meredith to Shire representatives to people like Frances from the Heritage Centre in Geelong who came to ask us about our volunteer program.
We had several small excursions mainly attended by the Committee….to Jan McDonald’s farm on Lower Plains Road to see the bluestone cottage and the former Lethbridge Hall, we went to Morrisons a couple of times to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to the exhibition and we went to Stony Creek Reservoirs to a tour conducted by the educational officer of Barwon Water.
And since Covid we now eat our lunch around the table with a lace cloth, nice cups and saucers and a teapot. We try to make it a social occasion and add to the interest by having a quiz! Nick who volunteers and comes from Geelong is often the quizmaster. I can tell you that a lot of fun and discussion is generated and often some googling!
2024 looks busy.
Jack Boardman’s family donated some artifacts related to gold mining at Steiglitz and we plan to erect a display dedicated to him in the back yard so its visible to everyone from Wilson Street.
In 2023 we had the kindergarten sandpit levelled and we plan to apply for a grant for two containers to go on it for storage.
And amongst other projects we have just entered information to the National Trust to be included in their Heritage Festival. Our theme is Football and we plan to demonstrate that in the past football was a totally different ballgame and that in a small town like Meredith nearly everyone was involved in some way.
And Kerrie and Bev are compiling a book about Murders, Suicides, Deaths etc. There has been talk about launching this book at the Cemetery.
I want to thank the Committee for their amazing contribution to MHIG in 2023.
I want to invite anyone out there to join us. As I say every year, the more we do the more there is to do!
