The Meredith History Interest Group (MHIG) commenced in 2008.
The MHIG preserves, records and exhibits the history of Meredith and District .
The MHIG provides the opportunity for locals and visitors to understand 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The MHIG is committed to preserving local history through the development and preservation of a collection of historical documents, artifacts, manuscripts and memorabilia.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 quarterly 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: Second Tuesday of the Month 10 am.
Annual General Meeting held late February/early March each year.
Volunteers meet every Tuesdays & Thursdays to catalogue, research, organize events and welcome visitors.
The committee for 2026 is as follows:
President Marg Cooper
Vice-president Darren Guthrie
Secretary Andre Konarski
Treasurer Gail Hadley
Committee Bev Loveday ( Gardener & Artistic Developer )
Committee Paul Ryan ( Maintenance)
Committee Tony Scott ( Newsletter Editor)
Committee Nick Bond ( Historical Record Archivist )
Committee Alan Caddy
Life Members
Marg Cooper
Fay McFarlane
Annual General Meeting 2026 - President’s Report
Marg Cooper
I think this is my 18th report!
Annual General Meeting:
We started the year with the Annual General Meeting that was held on 2 March 2025 in the Memorial Hall. After the formalities John and Mark who describe their spare time occupation as documenters of Urban and Industrial History spoke and showed photos of what they called the first shipping containers. They had noticed a square, metal, riveted tank on Wells’s house on the corner of the Midland Highway and Mercer St, and told us how and why the tanks came to Australia.
Sculpture Exhibition/Competition:
I suggested this event at a Committee meeting and much to my joy there was lots of support for this wayout/unusual idea!
The theme was History Reconstructed, and the event was held on May 3 & 4 in and outside the History Centre, as part of the National Trust Heritage Festival. We had 99 entries and managed to get funding to award monetary prizes for several categories.
We have decided to run the event again this year on May 16 & 17 and hope that all of you will make a sculpture and advertise it wherever you can.
Meredith Newsletter:
This production that started with the Head Teacher of the State School, Laurie Manning, printing a page of news for the school, is 50 years old in 2026. We have attended meetings, researched old copies for history of the newsletter itself and lent old copies to the Committee so they can extract segments to include in editions in 2026 to celebrate this achievement.
I write a report every month on behalf of MHIG and in that report I often invite others to help our group.
Open Day:
This event was held on Sunday 3 August and we called it Who Do You Think We Are? This was a sort of double edged sword in that we displayed some photos hoping that visitors might be able to identify the people or places depicted. We also hoped visitors would find out what the History Group does.
Volunteering Week:
The Shire had a young man called Declan take photos of volunteers in several parts of the Shire, which were displayed at an event that the Shire Council held in Bannockburn in May to both thank volunteers and highlight the valuable job they do.
Books:
We have probably sold more books in 2025 than in any other year. We had 5 books reprinted including Significant Trees of Meredith which now sports a new cover which features a drawing of a tree that my granddaughter Izy did when she was a young teenager. Darren has produced several small booklets, the latest being about the Duke of York Mine and the Bamganie Goldfields which is well worth a read.
Bannockburn Probus:
I spoke to this group in June. I told them about MHIG but I suspect I was perhaps invited to enthuse some of them to start a history group in Bannockburn.
Elaine Photo Exhibition:
Some of us worked for the first nine months of 2025 to collect photos and to prepare for the exhibition on October 18 & 19 at the Elaine Hall. I called it an extravaganza of photos and it was received with enthusiasm and appreciation. The book is being compiled at the moment. Paul Ryan and Jim Connell, both received a Certificate of Achievement from the Moorabool Shire at their Australia Day Awards on January 26, for this event.
Visitors & Donations of Items:
MHIG had many interesting visitors during the year including Barry who recited poetry to us, the Brisbane Ranges Sketchers who sat outside and drew and John Grant whose father grew up in the Pink House or the Meredith Roadhouse and who played cricket for Victoria.
MHIG had many interesting and varied donations including the Read Family photo albums and a newspaper page that had been used as filler in a hat for 50 years.
Calendar:
The calendar for 2016 featured remnant guide posts on the sides of roads. We have a few still for sale at $15 if you would like one.
Matt Cooper:
This young man took photos for the Elaine Photo Exhibition under the tutorage of his support worker, Lee. I have invited him to take photos of Meredith people as a record of Meredith Now. I hope that we can exhibit these photos later in the year.
Other:
On our Facebook page last year we asked people to identify Mystery Items.
The plant stall continues to raise funds, mainly to help maintain the grounds.
The Street Library is always full of good reads and is very popular and an asset to the town.
Lately the Policeman’s wife and children have started a stall next door selling knickknacks and bunches of flowers. This is a welcome addition to the street.
Lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays at MHIG is quite a social occasion with a pot of tea that is often shared by 8 or 9 people who then compete to answer questions asked in the regular quiz.
Thankyou:
We have a great team at MHIG with many different skills, interests, contacts and talents. I wish to sincerely thank them all for their contributions.
Annual General Meeting:
We started the year with the Annual General Meeting that was held on 2 March 2025 in the Memorial Hall. After the formalities John and Mark who describe their spare time occupation as documenters of Urban and Industrial History spoke and showed photos of what they called the first shipping containers. They had noticed a square, metal, riveted tank on Wells’s house on the corner of the Midland Highway and Mercer St, and told us how and why the tanks came to Australia.
Sculpture Exhibition/Competition:
I suggested this event at a Committee meeting and much to my joy there was lots of support for this wayout/unusual idea!
The theme was History Reconstructed, and the event was held on May 3 & 4 in and outside the History Centre, as part of the National Trust Heritage Festival. We had 99 entries and managed to get funding to award monetary prizes for several categories.
We have decided to run the event again this year on May 16 & 17 and hope that all of you will make a sculpture and advertise it wherever you can.
Meredith Newsletter:
This production that started with the Head Teacher of the State School, Laurie Manning, printing a page of news for the school, is 50 years old in 2026. We have attended meetings, researched old copies for history of the newsletter itself and lent old copies to the Committee so they can extract segments to include in editions in 2026 to celebrate this achievement.
I write a report every month on behalf of MHIG and in that report I often invite others to help our group.
Open Day:
This event was held on Sunday 3 August and we called it Who Do You Think We Are? This was a sort of double edged sword in that we displayed some photos hoping that visitors might be able to identify the people or places depicted. We also hoped visitors would find out what the History Group does.
Volunteering Week:
The Shire had a young man called Declan take photos of volunteers in several parts of the Shire, which were displayed at an event that the Shire Council held in Bannockburn in May to both thank volunteers and highlight the valuable job they do.
Books:
We have probably sold more books in 2025 than in any other year. We had 5 books reprinted including Significant Trees of Meredith which now sports a new cover which features a drawing of a tree that my granddaughter Izy did when she was a young teenager. Darren has produced several small booklets, the latest being about the Duke of York Mine and the Bamganie Goldfields which is well worth a read.
Bannockburn Probus:
I spoke to this group in June. I told them about MHIG but I suspect I was perhaps invited to enthuse some of them to start a history group in Bannockburn.
Elaine Photo Exhibition:
Some of us worked for the first nine months of 2025 to collect photos and to prepare for the exhibition on October 18 & 19 at the Elaine Hall. I called it an extravaganza of photos and it was received with enthusiasm and appreciation. The book is being compiled at the moment. Paul Ryan and Jim Connell, both received a Certificate of Achievement from the Moorabool Shire at their Australia Day Awards on January 26, for this event.
Visitors & Donations of Items:
MHIG had many interesting visitors during the year including Barry who recited poetry to us, the Brisbane Ranges Sketchers who sat outside and drew and John Grant whose father grew up in the Pink House or the Meredith Roadhouse and who played cricket for Victoria.
MHIG had many interesting and varied donations including the Read Family photo albums and a newspaper page that had been used as filler in a hat for 50 years.
Calendar:
The calendar for 2016 featured remnant guide posts on the sides of roads. We have a few still for sale at $15 if you would like one.
Matt Cooper:
This young man took photos for the Elaine Photo Exhibition under the tutorage of his support worker, Lee. I have invited him to take photos of Meredith people as a record of Meredith Now. I hope that we can exhibit these photos later in the year.
Other:
On our Facebook page last year we asked people to identify Mystery Items.
The plant stall continues to raise funds, mainly to help maintain the grounds.
The Street Library is always full of good reads and is very popular and an asset to the town.
Lately the Policeman’s wife and children have started a stall next door selling knickknacks and bunches of flowers. This is a welcome addition to the street.
Lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays at MHIG is quite a social occasion with a pot of tea that is often shared by 8 or 9 people who then compete to answer questions asked in the regular quiz.
Thankyou:
We have a great team at MHIG with many different skills, interests, contacts and talents. I wish to sincerely thank them all for their contributions.
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In 2025 we received a generous grant from Bannockburn
& District Grants to purchase new computers https://www.berrybankwindfarm.globalpower-generation.com.au/ |
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