Refurbished board honours pioneers
A restored honour board commemorating the early pioneers of the district was unveiled at a ceremony at the Warragul Museum last week.
The honour board features 122 photographs and names of the pioneers of Warragul and early settlers of the district. The board was produced by public subscriptions and donated to the then Warragul Shire in 1911.
It was restored with a grant from Baw Baw Shire by the Archival Conservation at Kyneton, Victoria and unveiled by Baw Baw Shire Mayor Michael Leaney and Warragul and District Historical Society president Bill Cropley said history and heritage were important for communities. He said it was important to maintain a connection to the past.
Mr Cropley said the restoration of the Pioneers Board was an example of preserving the past for future generations.
He said with council's contribution the board was correctly restored and on display for all to see.
Cr Leaney said he had a strong appreciation for history because he had been brought up in a family with a strong association to the history of Doncaster and Templestowe.
He spent his school holidays visiting museums and historic houses.
"It is important that we understand the background of our heritage," he said.
"This restored pioneer board will be here even beyond our lifetimes. It has been preserved and will provide information for generations into the future," he said.
The unveiling of the restored board was in stark contrast to its original launch at a smoke night in 1906 which was a men only event.
The launch coincided with the society's open week.
The honour board takes pride of place in the foyer of the museum and greeted the many visitors who attended the open week.
More than 50 people attended a special concert on Sunday afternoon where musician and piano tuner Albert Fox performed a number of musical items on the society's organ as well as presenting a magic show.
There was a wide range of other historical prints and paintings on show, which also have been restored.
Artworks by popular 19th century artist Neville Henry Penniston Cayley, depicting the region's earliest settler's homes and the old Warragul township were well lit and on display in the museums various rooms.
Mr Cayley is known for his detailed bird paintings, and his son Neville William Cayley produced the well-known field guide 'What Bird is That?' Historic works by artist and local entrepreneur Charles Henry Round's also were on display.
The paintings have recently been restored using a grant from the National Library of Australia and were also reframed in special archival materials.
The society began grant applications for restoration of items in 2015, which started with applying for an assessment of the collection. The final application for restoration was finally accepted in December 2020 and the society was allocated $10,550 for the work's completion.
Mr Cropley acknowledged the work of society member Aldo Bagnara in preparing many grant applications.
Honorary membership was presented to Office Choice proprietor John Mai for his donations of equipment and other assistance provided to the society.
The museum in Queen St, Warragul is open on Thursdays 10am to 2pm and the second and fourth Sundays of the month from 2pm to 4pm.