Wandong History Group

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Registered Office: Affleck Street, Wandong, 3758

Telephone: 57871 314

Inaugural office bearers 2012/2013:

President - Karen Christensen

Vice President - David Moran

Secretary - Diana Vidal

Treasurer - Sandra Moran

The Wandong History Group was formed to collate, catalogue and preserve the past history of Wandong and Heathcote Junction for the benefit of future generations.

HISTORY

The Wandong History Group (WHG) evolved when a group of local residents recognised that before it was too late, there was the urgent need to collate, catalogue and preserve the past history of Wandong and Heathcote Junction for the benefit of future generations. Wandong - Heathcote Junction has a unique and interesting settlement and social history that included one of Victoria's largest timber and seasoning operations. Wandong was a hive of activity during the mid-1880s with tramways, a seasoning works, joinery and terra cotta lumber plant, as well as a coffee palace and boarding house, all built around a privately created subdivision owned by Robert Affleck Robertson. The Mt. Disappointment area was also home to prisoners of war who worked in forest camps during World War II. Wandong also laid claim to initiating the first Country Music Festival during the 1970s. Wandong and Heathcote Junction have many unexplored stories yet to be told

The WHG held its first formal meeting on 26 September 2012 when office bearers were elected and at a subsequent meeting it was unanimously decided to apply to be an Incorporated Group. The WHG is a not for profit group and any membership fees, donations, fund raising money will be put toward the collation, cataloguing and preserving our history.

The Wandong History Group has elected to adopt the Model Rules for an Incorporated Association [Associations Incorporation Act 1981]

MEMBERSHIP

Membership fees will be set at Annual General Meetings. Financial members are encouraged to participate in Group activities and in discussion at monthly meetings.

OPERATION

The Wandong History Group initially aims to collate, record and store information on the history of Wandong - Heathcote Junction. It is intended to meet monthly and all residents interested in the great history of our towns would be most welcome to participate.

The Group will meet regularly and consensus decision making will be adopted. Regular history presentations will be conducted for the benefit of residents and visitors.

Committee members for 2014- 2015 are:

President: Karen Christensen

Vice President: David Moran

Secretary: Di Vidal

Treasurer: Sandra Moran

Membership fees were set at $10 single and family $15

HISTORY BULLETINS - follow the links

JULY 2020

HISTORY GROUP

A big thank you to the group members, with not the usual monthly meetings due to Covid 19, each continue with their different research projects. Lynne and Gloria have been working on school records identifying people who lived or worked here, adding a background history to their families, which could provide stories for the future and Dave and Sandra are still researching rates and waterboard records from the micro-fiche files. Karen is continuing on with the soldier profiles, cataloguing and applying for various grants.

Last month we were still waiting on the Saluting their Service grant to be announced but shortly after the What’s News was printed we received word that our grant application had been successful. This grant will allow us to relocate the old internment hut from Range Avenue and we are so grateful that Chris and Kerry Bellomo have offered the building to the community. The hut will be relocated to the memorial park where it will be set up as a military history and interpretive centre. This will allow us to showcase the history of our local soldiers and the service and sacrifice they made in a permanent display for locals and visitors alike.

The recent upgrades to the park, including the new toilets and RV dump point will make the area even more appealing for tourists and the addition of the hut will only add to the appeal. We would like to commend the WHJCG on achieving these additions to the park, it was only through their determination that council took on board the need for these facilities that will be a great benefit to all in the future. We look forward to getting the hut relocation project underway in the near future, we are hoping for an official opening around ANZAC Day 2021.

Stay Safe

Di Vidal & Karen Christensen

Wandong History Group

Email:Wandonghistorygroup4@gmail.com

Phone: 57 871314

Attention, Businesses and Local groups

The Wandong History Group is putting together a pack of local information to help both new and old residents learn a little about our history and what services, businesses and groups operate in the area. If your business or group would like to be involved with this please contact the Wandong History Group via email wandonghistorygroup4@gmail.com or phone 57871314