Category: SEHA News

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. February 2019. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley Historical Society

• The November newsletter reports on the new website www.bassvalleyhistoricalsociety.com.au  The Grantville History Group produce a monthly newsletter The Western Port Times. Access it on the Grantville History website http://www.grantvillehistory.com.au/ The February newsletter reports on the need for new members at the Society – a not uncommon issue for many of us!
• Dinner meeting and AGM will be held on Friday, March 1. Guest speaker is John Hutchison, President of the Inverloch Historical Society, ‘Historical Societies refocusing’. More details https://seha.org.au/event/bass-valley-historical-society-dinner-meeting-2

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The October/November newsletter has a report of their successful Fashion Parade and a copy of a report from the City of Chelsea News of December 12, 1963 about the formation of the Chelsea Historical Society – 55 years ago.

Dandenong & District Historical Society        http://ddhs.com.au/

• The Gipps-Land Gate of October 2018 has some articles on the Gartside family of Dingley. The Gartsides had a connection to French Island and there are articles about this as well as Ken Gartside’s barges.

 

Frankston Historical Society    http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/

• The November/December reports on the donation of a Top Hat belonging to James Fulton who had a farm at Mount Eliza. His spring cart is already on display at Ballam Park. Mrs Fulton’s wedding dress has also been donated. The former Elizabeth Collins married James in February 1871.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/

• The December issue has an article on Lieutenant George Ingram, the last Australian awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War. George lived at Hastings after the War.

 

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The October newsletter had an article on Hedges and fences in the area including the 1882 hawthorn hedges at Caldermeade and the 1888 hedges at Catani. The November newsletter has an article on Frederick Bayles, the namesake of the town of Bayles. The December newsletter has an article about the 1948 concert at Koo Wee Rup State School and the February newsletter has an article looking back at Koo Wee Rup in 1919.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society   http://www.langlang.net/historical.html

• The November newsletter has a report on the Lang Lang Cemetery tour that the Society undertook in conjunction with the Narre Warren & District Family History Group.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association    https://mordialloccollegealumni.org

• Ventured December 2018 has memories of the school from Marjorie Kean (nee George) who was at the school for four years from 1939 to 1942. She later helped form the Ex-students Association.

Mornington and District Historical Society     www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au

• The November newsletter had a short history of boat hire from Scout Beach at Mornington,  a service that has been provided for 100 years.

Narre Warren and District Family History Group    http://nwfhg.org.au/

• The November Spreading Branches has a report on the Great War themed Lang Lang Cemetery tour. The February newsletter has an article on Dr and Mrs Elliot Drake of Beaconsfield Upper. Both newsletters have photos from the Max Thomson collection, many of which were taken by Michael Drew. The State Library of Victoria also has a collection of photographs donated by Max Thomson.

 

Rye Historical Society       http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

• The Whitecliffs newsletter from October-December 2018 has an article on Early Surveyors of Rye and district by John Bertacco. The first recorded licence for grazing rights was granted in 1838. There is also an article on the Rye Ice Works, established around 1904 The January-March 2019 newsletter has a report on the 150^th anniversary celebrations of the Rye Cemetery and an article called Early adoption of auxiliary engines in sailing vessels.

 

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/

• The December newsletter has an article on the opening of the Heritage Machinery shed on October 10, 2018. The shed houses machinery connected to the local orchards and features murals of orchard life by Simon White.

 

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society      http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/

• The essays in the October and November 2018 The Plod are part one and two of the Life of Frederick Thomas Webb. When he was 14 he got himself a job on a farm at Leongatha, milking cows, he later returned to Melbourne and did an engineering course at Melbourne Tech (RMIT) and in the early 1930s worked for the State Coal Mine at Wonthaggi, where he became responsible for all mine transport. Fred then started buying buses – school buses and also started transporting the miners to and from their shifts. Fred also built a long-distance high pressure steam pipe, a large factory, a stone crushing plant. The crushing plant used Wonthaggi redstone – a waste product of the coal mining process (mudstone, splint which has a high carboniferous content and coal – this would self-combust and after burning would be rock hard and red brick in colour) Fred sold the crushed rock to the local Council. It was also used on the running track at the MCG during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Here are the reports from the May 2018 meeting which was hosted by the Chelsea and District Historical Society

SEHA reports May 2018

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. May 2018. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley Historical Society
• The Dinner meeting to be held on Sunday, June 3 will have Sam Gatto as the guest speaker. His topic will be ‘Wonthaggi at War’ All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/bass-valley-historical-society-meeting

Brighton Cemetorians http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The Brighton Cemetorians has the following upcoming tours: May 20 – Law Week tour https://seha.org.au/event/brighton-cemetery-walk-law-and-order-week
• July 1 2018 – a look at some of the entertainers buried at Brighton – https://seha.org.au/event/brighton-cemetery-walk-entertainers

Casey Cardinia Libraries     https://www.cclc.vic.gov.au/browse/local-history/
• Over 300 people attended the Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival on May 6, 2018 at the Upper Beaconsfield Hall. The theme was 150 stories of our past as the festival celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Shire of Cranbourne and Shire of Berwick (both created in 1868). In the lead up to the Festival, 150 different stories connected to the history of people, places or events in the two Shires were written and they were all on display on the day.

Chelsea & District Historical Society
• The Annual Chicken and Champagne luncheon held on April 5 was very successful. At the April AGM Jenny Hartson was elected President; Leonie Taylor Secretary and Valerie Hambridge Treasurer. The Society laid a wreath at the Chelsea ANZAC day dawn service.

Dandenong & District Historical Society   http://ddhs.com.au/
• The Annual luncheon is on June 16 at the Dandenong Club. The Guest speakers are Rosemary Reddick and Sue Beazley from the Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries group. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/dandenong-district-historical-society-luncheon-cheltenham-pioneer-cemetery
• The April 2018 Gipps-Land Gate journal has an article by Carmen Powell on Gwen Robie (nee Cruickshank) who was born in Dandenong in 1933, grew up in Dandenong and married Alan Robie of Noble Park in 1955. A lovely history of life in Dandenong and Noble Park when they were both country towns. Carmen is Gwen’s younger sister.

Dromana & District Historical Society   http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/
• The Guest speaker at the meeting held on April 17 was Lance Hodgins, who spoke about the History of Mornington Peninsula Football.

Frankston Historical Society      http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/
• The March AGM saw the following office bearers elected – Glenda Viner President; Marilyn Foster Vice President and Treasurer and Neil Jonas Secretary. The Society has just celebrated caring for Ballam Park homestead for 50 years – when they took an interest in the building in 1965 it was two weeks away from demolition and the next three years were spent fundraising to save the house and have it open to the public.

Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries   http://www.focrc.org/
• The March 2018 Raves from the Graves has a report on the deliberately lit on an open area behind the Cemetery. There was substantial damage to some graves due to burnt trees falling on them. The back fence was also damaged leading to unwelcome trespassers. Many graves are also smoke covered and hopefully this will be removed by rain. One of the issues is that graves are owned by the family not the Cemetery Trust, so unless a kind insurance company steps in and repairs the graves, the work will have to wait for the grave owners.
• There is an article by Rosemary Reddick on the O’Mara family – James and William drowned after a boating accident in 1901. In 1918 another brother, George, also lost his life in a boating accident. They are buried at Cheltenham. There is also an article on Lucy Eveline Wawn, who drowned at Mordialloc Sea Baths in 1894 at the age of 17.
• A tour of the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery will be held on May 27 – the theme is the Tragic 30s – all the details are here   https://seha.org.au/event/cheltenham-pioneer-cemetery-tour-tragic-30s-tour

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The March issue has articles on World War One nurses – Alice Bull of Bairnsdale and Clara Ross of French Island. The Society has started putting some of the queries they have received, but can’t answer, in the newsletter. One query was about native bees and if the Society could provide any evidence that they once occurred as far south as Western Port; Bega is now as far south as the native bees naturally appear.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The March newsletter has a comprehensive list of people and objects associated with the Harewood House at Tooradin, complied by the owner of the property, Pat Macwhirter. Harewood House hosted Scots on the Swamp in March, celebrating 150 years of the Lyall family at Harewood and other Scottish cultural activities. The April newsletter has a history of the Police Force at Koo Wee Rup, written by Heather Arnold and the May newsletter a history of Early Swamp schools – Koo Wee Rup, Koo Wee Rup North and Iona schools, also written by Heather Arnold.
• Their Annual luncheon is on May 27 – the guest speakers are John and Jo Spencer, who spent 19 months travelling around Europe on a motorbike. Al the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/koo-wee-rup-swamp-historical-society-annual-luncheon-4

Lang Lang & District Historical Society http://www.langlang.net/historical.html
• Lang Lang held an open day to celebrate their 20th anniversary on April 29. Over summer the display centre was painted. It was a large job as everything had to be removed and then put back. The Spirit of Lang Lang booklet, published to celebrate the first 20 years of the Society, was successful.  Each chapter covers 20 years of history with text and photos, starting with the history up to 1878 and then in twenty-year blocks.

Moorabbin Historical Society http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cmhsbcm/index.html
• Moorabbin Mirror February 2018 has an article in the origin of local street names – Higgins Road and Myrtle Street. There was an obituary of Laurie Lewis, whose grandfather, Abraham Lewis, started a timber business in Glen Huntly in 1905. Laurie was also very involved with the Historical Society and helped re-locate and renovate Box Cottage, one of the area’s earliest houses, dating from the 1850s.

Mornington and District Historical Society www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au
• The February newsletter reports on the annual Helen Broad History prizes awarded to students at the six local secondary schools. The students are selected by the school and the object is to encourage the study of history. The students are given a framed certificate and a copy of the book Mornington in the wake of Flinders by Leslie Moorhead.

Narre Warren and District Family History Group      http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The May 2018 Spreading Branches reported on the successful World War One themed Cranbourne Cemetery walk held on April 22. There is a look at some significant historic trees in the local area including McMorrans Oak in Cranbourne, planted in the 1860s and the Coronation tree at Pioneer Park in Berwick, planted in 1953. These trees are recorded on http://www.caseycardiniaremembers.org.au/

Nepean Historical Society     http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/
• The March 2018 newsletter, The Nepean,  has a report on the Shepherd’s Hut at Point Nepean, thought to date from the 1830s. In the 1850s, there was an addition to the building and it was used as a doctor’s dispensary and later as a store as part of the Quarantine Station.

Rye Historical Society         http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter from April – June 2018 has an article on the White Cliffs store at Rye and a book review of Victoria and its Metropolis, Volume 2, published in 1888 which looks at the country areas of Victoria.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/
• The March newsletter has some photos of and information on Jack Foster’s property in Somerville – an old dairy farm on Hastings-Somerville Road. Photos include the underground tank with a domed roof, the old cow shed and old house.

Springvale & District Historical Society
• The Society has temporarily moved to 11 Morwell Parade, Springvale, 3171. (Address all correspondence to 35 Stuart Street, Noble Park, 3174) They expect to remain at Morwell Parade until 2020 when the ‘Springvale Library and Community hub’ opens and they will have a space in the new building. Telephone: 03 9548 2732.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the February 2018 The Plod is called ‘Let’s go out to the wreck’ by Joe and Lyn Chambers about childhood adventures swimming at Harmer’s Haven. The March Plod talks about some of the treasures in the Museum uncovered by curator, Mark Robertson. The April Plod has an article by Janet Edwards. Janet wrote the article in 1976 for the Wonthaggi Tech school magazine about the poor and non-existent toilet and shower facilities at the school. A protest rally, with over 500 people attending, was held which received media coverage and the Government was finally shamed into building a new toilet block with sewerage connected and separate staff toilets. ‘No Dunny aint funny’ was one of the placards made by the students. The May Plod has an article by Kit Sleeman entitled ‘Bowled by Lindsay Hassett’ reminiscences about cricket.

Here are the reports from the February 2018 meeting which was hosted by the Berwick Mechanics’ Institute.

SEHA reports Feb 2018

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. February 2018

Bass Valley Historical Society

• The Dinner meeting to be held on March 2 will have Jane Hendtlass as the guest speaker. Her topic is ‘Dead Man’s Penny’ https://seha.org.au/event/bass-valley-historical-society-dinner-5

Brighton Cemetorians 

• The December Cemetorian includes biographies of Helen Ogilvie (1902 – 1993), painter and print maker and Francine McNiff (1948 – 2015) a lawyer, academic and magistrate. Francine left $4 million to Melbourne University to fund a Chair in Criminology and a Chair in Human Rights and $3.8 million to Monash University who established the Francine McNiff Chair in Criminal Jurisprudence; and Thomas Coverdale (1854 – 1920) who lived at Bena and was a member of the South Gippsland Pioneer’s Association.
• The March Cemetorian includes a biography of Maria Robinson Allen (1821 – 1883) The family lived at Hobart and Flinders Island and then moved to Victoria when her father George Augustus Robinson became the Chief Protector at Port Phillip. Accompanying the family to Victoria was Truganini.  Maria married Dr James Allen in 1842 who was violent towards her and they later moved to Clarke Island in Tasmania. Maria ended her days in Victoria at Spring Villa in Cranbourne with her son, Edward. Maria and Truganini – opposite sides of the first contact between the Indigenous people and European settlers.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• Work on restoring the Court House Museums is ongoing and the tender for the major works has been awarded to Ducon P/L and will start in March 2018. The windows have been restored and this was a mammoth effort as three different types of timber had to be sourced to match the original work.

Dandenong & District Historical Society   http://ddhs.com.au/

• The Society now hold all their meetings at 39 Clow Street and no longer meet at the Dandenong Showgrounds.

Dromana & District Historical Society  http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/

• The Guest speaker at the meeting to be held on February 20 is Gerry Shepherd, talking about the Early Peninsula and Life of a sailor. https://seha.org.au/event/gerry-shepherd-on-early-peninsula-and-life-of-a-sailor-dromana-district-historical-society

Frankston Historical Society     http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/

• Ballam Park is a popular wedding venue. They had a visit from Lorna and Roslyn Johnston, direct descendants of Frederick and Annie Liardet, the original owners of Ballam Park. The floor of the buggy shed will be concreted this year after consultation with Heritage Victoria.

Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries  http://www.focrc.org/

• The December Raves from the Graves has a biography on Cleveland Cole. In 1933 Cleveland and Roy Weston produced a reliable map of Mt Bogong and then set up two overnight huts for walkers or skiers. Sadly, and ironically, in August 1936 Cleveland died of hypothermia after being caught in a blizzard whilst climbing Mt Bogong. There is also a biography of Molly Hill a member of Melbourne Women’s Walking Club, formed in 1922, and a keen skier. In 1932 Molly had a skiing accident at the age of 32, the first fatal skiing accident on Victoria.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/

• The December issue has a history of the Battle of Beersheba which took place in October 1917.  There is an obituary of Dennis Lothian, a descendent of Hastings pioneer, Thomas Lothian, who came to Hastings in 1869 as a fisherman. The family lived in Skinner Street in Hastings and some family members lived for a time on French Island.

Heritage Hill Dandenong   http://www.greaterdandenong.com/section/306/heritage-hill

• There are two exhibitions at Laurel Lodge, Heritage Hill – ‘Teatime: a celebration of the Australian Culture of afternoon tea’ and ‘A celebration of Xuzhou and Greater Dandenong’. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/whats-on-at-heritage-hill-dandenong

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The December newsletter has some photos of Koo Wee Rup in the 1934 flood taken by The Herald newspaper. The February newsletter has an article by Heather Arnold on ‘What happened in Koo Wee Rup in 1918’

Lang Lang & District Historical Society   http://www.langlang.net/historical.html

• Lang Lang has published a booklet to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Society. Each chapter covers 20 years of history with text and photos, starting with the history up to 1878 and then in twenty-year blocks. The publication was sponsored by the Lang Lang Hall Committee Opportunity Shop.

Mornington and District Historical Society     www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au

• The November newsletter has a report on the Fossil Beach Interest Group. The Fossil Beach Historic Area has the remnants of the 1862 Patent Septaria Cement Company works and natural features including 15 million-year-old Balcombe Clay fossiliferous outcrop and Aboriginal shell middens.

Narre Warren and District Family History Group    http://nwfhg.org.au/

• The December 2017 newsletter reported on the official launch of the Group’s move to the Cranbourne Library Complex, the Colac Family History Group expo and some of the memorials at the Berwick RSL. The February 2018 newsletter has a report on the new War Memorial at Lyndhurst – which lists only 8 soldiers (two from World War One and six from World War Two). Many of us feel that it was a missed opportunity that could have honoured all the soldiers connected to Lyndhurst (there were at least 21 WW1 soldiers with a Lyndhurst connection). There is an article on David Jones, a sea captain, who acquired 140 acres in Narre Warren North in 1897

Nepean Historical Society          http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/

• The December newsletter lists a number of concerning planning applications. There is an obituary for Professor Weston Bate who passed away October 31, 2017. There is also an eye witness account by Alan Wragge of the search for the Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt, who disappeared off Cheviot Beach on December 17, 1967.

Rye Historical Society       http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

• The Whitecliffs newsletter from January-March 2018 has an article on Parish Plans and how they were produced by lithograph in the early days by John Bertacco. There is also an article by Noel Erbs on Telegraph Services on the Peninsula.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/

• The December newsletter had an account from the Mornington Standard of June 15, 1893 about an investigation into the beating of a school boy by Mrs Carter, the School Mistress. The boy claimed he was beaten50 times, the teacher denied it. Interesting account of life at school in the ‘good old days’ when corporal punishment was often the first resort for transgressions. You can read the full article on Trove here http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65809512

Springvale & District Historical Society

• The Society has temporarily moved to 11 Morwell Parade, Springvale, 3171. (Address all correspondence to 35 Stuart Street, Noble Park, 3174) They expect to remain at Morwell Parade until 2020 when the ‘Springvale Library and Community hub’ opens and they will have a space in the new building. Telephone: 03 9548 2732.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society      http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/

• The essay in the November 2017 Plod, written by C. Landon, is about Italians and food, ‘Italians bring their food culture to Wonthaggi’

The 2016-2017 Local History Grant Program successful applicants were announced on September 28, 2017. Congratulations to the Nepean Historical Society who were awarded $4,840.00 to Investigate the 1803 Collins Settlement Burial Sites.  You can read the full list here https://www.prov.vic.gov.au/round-15-recipients-2016-2017 The 2017/2018 grants open on November 13 2017 and close January 31 2018.

The Community History Awards were announced on October 16, 2017. Congratulations to Sam Gatto of the Wonthaggi & District Historical Society whose publication ‘Contribution and Conflict: A History of Wonthaggi and the First World War’ received a commendation in the Centenary of World War One section of the awards. You can read the full list of winners here https://www.prov.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/Blog/VCHA%20Booklet%20for%20Website.pdf

 

 

Here are the reports from the November 2017 meeting which was hosted by the Lang Lang & District Historical Society

SEHA reports November 2017

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. November 2017. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley Historical Society

• The Dinner meeting held on September 1, had John Jansson as the guest speaker. His topic was ‘Historical shipping in Western Port’.

 Brighton Cemetorians 

• The Cemetorian September 2017 has articles on some of the interesting burials at Brighton Cemetery including Henry Tate, Musicolgist; John Francis O’Hagan – author of the folk song ‘Along the road to Gundagai’; Ambrose Arthur Dyson, political cartoonist and illustrator and Eveline Syme modernist painter and printmaker and grand-daughter of The Age founder, Ebenezer Syme.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The Society operates a museum in the old Chelsea Court house, which is being renovated by the City of Kingston. They are currently restoring the windows with specially sourced timber so they will be compliant with the original building.

 Dandenong & District Historical Society   http://ddhs.com.au/

• Dandenong & District Historical Society Annual Report included some interesting statistics – their volunteers worked the equivalent of 466 days during the year in the Research room and, including all their activities, the volunteers contributed 3,726 hours. The Society spent 57 hours researching and writing their weekly column for the Dandenong Journal and 63 hours researching and writing the Gipps-Land Gate.
• The Gipps-Land Gate October 2017 has an article by Jim Snell on his sister, Shirley Smith, who has lived in Dandenong since 1933. There is also an article by Chris Keys on the Ross Family at Dandenong – Captain David Ross took up 1,000 acres bounded by Melbourne Road, Gladstone Road, Heatherton Road and Clow Street in 1866 and there is also an article on the Carson family who came to the area in 1867.

Dromana & District Historical Society  http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/

• Paul Whitaker, was guest speaker at the October meeting. He spoke about the history of the Dromana Drive Inn and the Whitaker Family. The Whitaker family opened the Drive Inn in 1961.

Frankston Historical Society     http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/

• The Historical Society manages Ballam Park Homestead, built in 1855 for Frederick Liardet. The newsletter had a look back at the new school wing opened in March 1946 at Frankston High School. The wing was centrally heated, all the rooms were sound proofed and the wing provided accommodation for 300 extra new students – 50 to a room. In 1946, the school population was 650 it is now over 1,600.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/

• The September newsletter reports on the Life Membership posthumously awarded to Mrs Joy Coleman, Foundation member of the Society. There is also a biography of Matron Annie Sage, World War Two Army Nurse. Matron Sage was born in Somerville. Janice Danaher will be the guest speaker at the Morning Coffee meeting being held on November 16, 2017 at 10.15am. She will talk about the Hastings Bush Nursing Hospital. Enquiries and bookings: 0490 132 011.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The September newsletter has an article by Heather Arnold on Local Agricultural Shows starting with the Mornington Farmers’ Society which was established in 1856. They held shows initially alternating between Cranbourne and Berwick, until the 1890s when the shows were all located at Berwick. Later Horticultural and Agricultural Societies were established at Bunyip in 1899, Lang Lang in 1900 and Pakenham in 1911. The October newsletter has an article, also by Heather Arnold, on the second largest flood on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp which took place in October 1937. The November newsletter has an article on Bills Troughs – they have one on display at their Museum.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society   http://www.langlang.net/historical.html

• On July 23 the First Lang Lang Scout Group held a dedication ceremony to re-open their refurbished Scout Hall. The Hall is dedicated to Dr Sydney Appleford and his wife Sister Alice Ross-King. They met on the boat returning them to Australia after the Great War and then settled in Lang Lang where they established a hospital and donated land for the scout hall amongst other community activities.
• The Society has a new logo – the Railway represents the growth of the town after the establishment of the railway, the Church represents the community role they played in the town and the War Memorial represents the way the War brought the town together and thus all the three symbols recognise the ‘Spirit of Lang Lang’. The Society turns 20 in 2018.

Mornington and District Historical Society     www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au

• The August newsletter has a report on Car racing at the Balcombe Army Camp at Mt Martha.

Narre Warren and District Family History Group    http://nwfhg.org.au/

• The August 2017 newsletter reported on the Group’s move to the Cranbourne Library Complex from the Narre Warren Library. There were reports on the two new Life Members – Rex McFarlane and Anne Blair.

Nepean Historical Society          http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/

• There is an obituary for Don Ewert, Life Member of the Society, who passed away June 20, 2017. Don was an active member of the Society who willingly undertook many roles at the Society. The newsletter also has a short account of the life of John Pascoe Fawkner. Fawkner’s father, also called John, had been sentenced to transportation for receiving stolen goods. John and his wife, daughter and son, the aforementioned John Pascoe Fawkner, were on the Calcutta, which with the Ocean entered Port Phillip Bay in October 1803 and set up the colony at Sullivan Bay, Sorrento under Lieutenant Governor David Collins. The settlement was abandoned in May 1804 and transferred to Tasmania.  The Fawkner family did very well and, as you would all know, John Pascoe Fawkner is credited with being a founding father of Melbourne as his ship The Enterprize, under the command of John Lancey, arrived at what is now Melbourne, a few days before John Batman’s.

Phillip Island & District Historical Society     http://pidhs.org.au/

• Christmas Function is on Saturday, December 2 2017 at 6.30pm for 7.00pm. Guest speaker is Catherine Basterfield, CEO Phillip Island Nature Park. Venue: St Phillips Parish Hall, cr Thompson Avenue and Church Street, Cowes. Cost: $30.00 per head. Bookings and payment by November 24, 2017 to Judy Gittins, Phillip Island & District Historical Society, P.O Box 816, Cowes, 3922 or direct payment to Bendigo Bank BSB: 633-000 A/c 151829389 – email Judy with all details at j.gittus43@gmail.com

Rye Historical Society       http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

• The Whitecliffs newsletter from October-December 2017 has part 2 of an article, written by Noel Erbs, on Water Supply and Sanitation on the Peninsula; an article on the ‘Newsboy’s Picnic’ – day trips to Rye in the 1910s and a personal account by Bernard Woiwod of the loss of Harold Holt, 50 years ago on December 17, 1967. Mr Woiwod was a member of the Frankston CIB at the time.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/

• The September 2017 newsletter reported on the July AGM – the office bearers and committee remain unchanged. It also has an obituary of Eileen Joy Coleman (nee Webb), who died on August 21 2017 at the age of 87. Joy was a foundation member of the Society and remained an active member until her death. Joy had grown up in Somerville on Webbs Lane, named after her family. A lovely obituary of Joy was published in the Mornington Peninsula News – you can read it here http://mpnews.com.au/2017/10/10/vale-joy-coleman-family-orchard-art-community/ You may remember that Joy was a guest speaker at the SEHA Discovery School held in Hastings in 2012 – she spoke about her life and especially her time as a guide at Lysaght’s Steel Mill in Hastings.

 Springvale & District Historical Society

• A wake for their current rooms at 7 Hillcrest Grove, Springvale will be held on November 25, 2017 from 3.30pm to 7.00pm. Celebrate the closing (and demolition) of this building with music, fun and food. RSVP to Robyn on 9547 6701.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society      http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/

• The essay in the August 2017 Plod, written by Kit Sleeman, is a history of Wonthaggi Technical School; the September essay is by Miss Somerset a teacher at Powlett Coal Field School in 1910. The October Plod essay is by Frank Coldebella, and is entitled The Piano, and is a mix of his family history, music and Italian migration in the area.
• Wonthaggi & District Historical Society Annual Memorial Dinner will be held on Friday, November 24 at 6.00pm at St Joseph’s Parish Hall, Korumburra Road, Wonthaggi. The theme is the First wave of Italians in Wonthaggi 1920-1939. Speakers will present stories and recollections of the early Wonthaggi Italian community. Three course Italian meal $35.00 per head. Bookings by pre-purchased tickets  by November 17 –   available at the Railway Station Museum – open Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm and Thursday 10.00am and 1.00pm or Direct Deposit to Bendigo Bank BSB 633 000 Account 1323 14543 with your name. RSVP to  John Bordignon on 03 5672 2798 by November 17.

Here are the reports from the August 2017 meeting which was hosted by the Hastings Western Port Historical Society

seha-reports-august-2017

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary