National Archaeology Week – Shared heritage in Mernda

National Archaeology Week takes place in late May and the Victorian celebrations will be launched at the City of Whittlesea on 21 May.  Below is a program of events for 21 May and 26 May when there will be talks about Shared Heritage in Mernda.  In addition, a curated display of artefacts, photos and interpretive panels from the Level Crossing Removal Authority-funded 2017 Old Bridge Inn excavations will be on view until 29 June in the City of Whittlesea Civic Centre during business hours.

Shared Heritage in Mernda

The City of Whittlesea, in partnership with the Level Crossing Removal Authority Victoria, Heritage Victoria and archaeologists from Dr Vincent Clark and Associates, is hosting public archaeology events including lectures and an exhibition focusing on the pre-contact and historical cultural heritage of the Mernda area, north of Melbourne in Victoria, during National Archaeology Week 2018.

A five week exhibition of excavated material, heritage interpretation panels, maps and photographs will provide information about the excavation of the very early 1841 Bridge Inn Hotel on the banks of the Plenty River, which also revealed intriguing evidence of Aboriginal and European settler contact. Excavation of the Old Bridge Inn site, funded by the Level Crossing Removal Authority, is the first ever ‘offset’ project in Victoria by a public authority.

Special event details are below, and all are taking place at the City of Whittlesea Civic Centre, 25 Ferres Blvd, South Morang:

Victorian Launch of National Archaeology Week

10-11am, Monday 21 May 2018

The launch will include two public lectures by archaeologists from Dr Vincent Clark and Associates:

• The Archaeology of the Old Bridge Inn – Dr Michelle Negus Cleary.
• Historical Survey of the South Morang to Mernda Heritage Railway Line – Jasmine Scibilia.

Family Open Day - Meet the Archaeologists!

10am-2pm, Saturday 26 May 2018

The open day will include public talks between 11am and 12 noon:

• Bottles, Bullets and Teacups: Artefacts from the Old Bridge Inn – Bronwyn Wolf and Dr Michelle Negus Cleary from Dr Vincent Clark and Associates.
• Recent Archaeological Projects in Plenty Gorge Park – Jeremy Smith, Principal Archeologist, Heritage Victoria.

After the talks, the archaeologists will be available to chat for the rest of the day.

Location: City of Whittlesea Civic Centre, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang

For a full program of events across Victoria go to Archaeology Week

Call for Toorourrong Stories

A working group has been formed as part of the Whittlesea Bushfire Memorial Group to source photos, information and stories concerning the Toorourrong Reservoir from its inception in the 1860’s to the present day, including the devastating 2009 bushfires. 

The rotunda at Toorourrong that was situated near the carpark, surprisingly was one of the few structures that survived the bushfire and is to be refurbished and will contain the story of the reservoir, the park, the people who maintained it, the community who enjoyed it and the volunteers and emergency services who assisted on Black Saturday.

An afternoon will be held at Whittlesea Masonic Lodge, Beech Street, Whittlesea on Sunday, 29th June, 2014 from 2pm to 4pm for anyone who may have photos and stories to share. 

Further information please contact Jan Hyndman on 9464 0001 or Fay Zanatta on 9716 2236.

We would also appreciate any donations or recollections for the local history collection at Mill Park Library. Please contact the Local History Librarian