Welcome to my first President’s Newsletter.
One of my favourite sayings is: change is the only constant. Life changes daily, but I am mindful that we make changes to our Society thoughtfully and for the ‘right’ reasons.
Much of my first newsletter is about change and continuity. It is change based on our vision for the future and continuity base on strengthening the things we do well. Our Committee’s mission is not only to serve you, existing members, our Local Community and to recruit new members from a wide range of age groups. Existing members will provide continuity and new members will bring changes over time.
There has been a change to the presidency with David Brunton’s retirement after 17 years at the helm. Another change is to our Secretary and Investigator Editor positions. Daryl Wight’s move to Melbourne will make it difficult for him to continue in these roles and he reluctantly resigned in July.
Our Society appreciates the hard work and dedicated efforts of David and Daryl. It is pleasing that David has assumed the role of Vice President and his continued presence will be beneficial. I thank them for their generosity and care in ensuring our Society is not unduly affected by assisting in this transition. I wish them well for their future endeavours. We will still see them at our future meetings.
I want to focus on CHANGE as it relates to the Our Future statement that I launched at our June meeting. Changes fit into one or more of the three interwoven strands we have as our focus: Community, Communication and Participation.
80 Years of Service
Are you interested in attending our 80 Year Celebratory Dinner?
Our August Committee Meeting decided to hold the 80 Year dinner on Tuesday night, 12 November
If you and your partner (or just you) are interested in attending then please email me at:
president@geelonghistoricalsociety.org.au
Or call me on 0402025226
Before 31 August
A two course meal (at a very affordable price) entertainment & fun activities are provided.
Your response determines if the event will go ahead.
Between February 19th to 27th, 1944 our Society organised public exhibition in the Lecture Hall of the Geelong Free Library. That 1944 exhibition was our first ‘official’ public event.
Our Society has experienced many changes since that time, but one feature has not: we still served the Geelong Community by providing details and stories of our city’s history.
New Website
Wow! Have you visited our Society’s revitalised website? New Committee member and Web Manager, Michael O’Donnell, has rejuvenated our website and made it appealing and informative. Our Society’s website is our “electronic gathering place” where we show, and celebrate, our work and adds to our monthly meeting presentations and magazine.
Our website is also our “public face” to the broader community. It shows who we are and what we do.
Please register for our newly established Members Only section to read, see and hear the many articles and activities being offered. https://www.geelonghistoricalsociety.org.au/
Investigator
With Daryl Wight’s resignation as Editor of Investigator, we welcome Victoria Spicer. Victoria is well credentialed and experienced to fulfil this important role and we are very fortunate to enlist her support in one of the most important publications we produce. September’s Investigator is her first edition.
Victoria has wide experience in both editing and design with the Geelong Writers’ Group. She has produced many quality publications for that organisation. Victoria has joined our Committee and has already made a valuable contribution to our Society. I am very grateful that Victoria has enthusiastically embraced these roles.
Next year is the 60th anniversary of Investigator. We have big plans for that special year. Even in this “electronic age”, Investigator will still be available and distributed in print form.
Digitisation – Investigator
In December last year we applied for a Local History Grant from the Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV) to digitise all our Investigator magazines (from Volume 1, number 1 of September,1965 to the latest edition). Our Grant application failed, but we will continue with our goal of digitisation, so that all past editions will become electronically available for you. Digitising the magazine also keeps it safe from loss and deterioration over time. This is a project where we might seek your participation.
Digitised Slides
Our donated Joseph Frank Costa Slide Collection has been partially digitised and is now available for you to view in our Website’s Members Only Section. We hope to have an index available too. Ninety-six Geelong scenes are there and a further 200 pictures of Sailing Ships will follow soon.
Communication
In June, I wrote to members for whom we have no current telephone number and email contact. Thank you to those who have provided me with this information. We can now communicate with you in an instant, instead of relying on the costly and slow postal system. I know there are many who still prefer to receive mail and that wish will be honoured, of course.
If you forgot to send me your details, then please email me.
Coordination of messages, on our Website, Investigator and future Facebook site, is essential. More will be said about Facebook in another newsletter.
A Pamphlet, advertising our Society, has been published and distributed to the Wool Museum and many outlets of the Geelong Regional Library. Hopefully, it will attract new members.
Community
Members, who have attended our monthly meetings this year have appreciated the new meeting venue at Virginia Todd Hall. It’s a cosy meeting room adjacent to a well-lit carpark with ample parking. Supper is always provided and gives us a chance to reflect on our speaker’s presentation, share stories and reminisce.
Wider Community Contact
Our website has publicized History based activities conducted by ‘likeminded’ local organisations. Perhaps you received notification of these events by our member email or viewed them on our website. This is an example of our Society looking ‘Forward and Outward’ It is also for your benefit to make you aware of events with a local history theme about which you may show an interest.
Another way we contribute to the broader community is via the City of Greater Geelong History based committees viz: COGG Heritage Advisory Committee and the Kim barne thaliyu – Geelong Heritage Centre Collection Advisory Committee.
Community visits
A strong desire expressed at our monthly meetings, and within the Committee, to resume short day trips or excursions. This is a practice that extends back to May, 1946. Picture of the Geelong Historical Society members (courtesy of the Geelong Heritage Centre) Article: The Age May 18th 1946) I understand it is difficult for some of our members to attend meetings at night. We are exploring possible daytime activities. In mid-February, we will visit the collection at Moorabool Antiques on a Saturday afternoon. If you have any suggestions, then please contact me by email.
Coming Monthly Events
On August 7th our night meeting is a tour of Geelong Library Heritage Centre. Little Malop Street entrance.( 7:15 for a 7:30 start)
Our forthcoming Lecture Syllabus is filled through to March of next year. At our July monthly members meeting, the presentation by Phoebe Wilkens attracted more than 40 members, friends and guests.
Our September presentation with Andrew Caddy will be changed to a later month and I will notify you of that change.
We are fortunate to welcome two current Deakin University History lecturers, Tony Joel and Bart Ziino, who will present at our monthly meetings later this year.
Aug 7th: Talk and Tour of the Kim barne thaliyu/Geelong Heritage Centre. Meet at the Geelong Regional Library in Little Malop Street at 7 pm for a 7:15pm start.
Sept 4th Rescheduled – Andrew Caddy – Geelong Customs Stories – Monthly meeting at Todd Hall
Oct 3rd Tony Joel (Deakin Uni) Geelong Cricket Club History from 1840.
New Postal Address
Daryl’s “personal” Post Office Box was used for his Secretarial correspondence. In the next few days we will have a new Post Office Box. Our website will publish the new address shortly.
Plans are ‘in train’ to replace for our important secretarial role. More news soon!
In closing, I would like to thank you for your continued membership, and I hope you enjoy the changes we have made and our efforts to strengthen the things we do well.
My thanks also to our Committee, who have assisted me in my first year.
Please contact me with information about events or anniversaries we should acknowledge. I would also appreciate suggestions about how we can improve our Society and recruit new members.
Don’t forget to tell us if you want to attend our 80th year celebration.
Until next time…
My best wishes,
Harry Roberts
President
