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

Fay Thomas Collection

The Fay Thomas Collection provides an insight into the lives of the local pioneering Thomas family, extended family and the broader community of the City of Whittlesea. The collection includes photographs, books, correspondence, manuscript material and ephemera dating from about the 1830's through to the present.

Thomas Moses with 2 adult women and 2 babies ca.1875

The late Fay Thomas, great-granddaughter of Moses Thomas, was the custodian of the Thomas Family collection and keeper and collector of much of the family lore. In 2015, after her death, Fay Thomas' Executors kindly loaned the collection to the City of Whittlesea prior to its transfer to State Library Victoria. During this time the collection was digitised.

Fay was the eldest daughter of Charles and Jean Thomas, and a descendant of Moses Thomas. Following in the footsteps of three great aunts who had been teachers, and a great uncle who has been a school inspector, she graduated from teachers college in 1961. In the 1980s Fay was one of the first locally appointed women principals in Victoria, an acknowledgement of her outstanding achievements and leadership skills. Throughout Fay's career as a teacher, principal, and education consultant she influenced the lives of thousands of Victorians.

Moses Thomas was a significant figure in the history of the area now known as the City of Whittlesea. Fay had a strong connection with her ancestry and she recognised that accumulating and maintaining a comprehensive collection of historical photographs, documents and objects relating to Moses and his family, his businesses, his involvement with the Church and School at Mernda, and the social milieu of early Whittlesea was an effort that had far-reaching implications.

The digital collection was passed on to Yarra Plenty Regional Library in March 2017. Images are progressively being made available via the Fay Thomas Collection album on Yarra Plenty Regional Library's Local History Flickr   with selected local images via our website.  Search the catalogue with keyword "Fay Thomas Collection".

This post also appears on Yarra Plenty Genealogy

The Housing game - Jon Faine broadcasts live from Mernda

Mernda from the Hills, view from the Popple Farm "Goadby" 1950s

Mornings with Jon Faine will host a special live broadcast this Tuesday (July 18) from Mernda, one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Melbourne. Surrounded by houses, but just a few 100-metres from farmland set to be converted into mini-cities, it’s at the centre of Melbourne's housing conundrum. Plus the Conversation Hour will also be live from Mernda, with a special Forum on housing affordability.
With 5,000 people arriving every week: where do they go? And how do we keep the best of Melbourne so that everyone can enjoy it?

Victorian CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia Danni Addison, National Growth Areas Alliance, Ruth Spielman, local member Danielle Green, Villawood Properties executive director Rory Costelloe, local luminaries and special guests will fill a packed program.

Tune in to ABC Radio Melbourne Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 July as they put the spotlight on Melbourne Housing Game. On air, online and on News at 7pm.

Broadcasting LIVE
When: Tuesday 18 July, 8.30am – 12noon
Where: The Bakery, Schotters Road, Mernda

Yarra Plenty Heritage Forum – Carome Homestead

The Grand finale of the 2010 Yarra Plenty Heritage Forum program was held recently at Carome Homestead, Plenty Gorge Park, Mernda hosted by Parks Victoria.

Four meetings are held each year facilitated by the Local History Librarian and generally hosted by local history groups and related organisations with the three municipalities our region covers.

21 people attended representing local history groups and local government in the Region. Two guests were totally new to the Forum meetings as were the guest speakers.

Jan Penney is the executive Chair of Mint Inc and has been instrumental in resurrecting the Carome Homestead property at Mernda. She spoke to the group describing the ethos of the organisation – making historical disused buildings useful again. The organization finds buildings on crown land which are underutilized and develops that building to highest possible standards at the same time finding a tenant to occupy. They currently manage 15 properties with an eye out for more.

Carome’s redevelopment has included the bluestone house itself, commercial kitchen facilities and outbuildings. A community garden has also been established.

Darren Jackson is the Manager Strategic Planning at the City of Whittlesea and spoke about their attention to and requirements of local developers to the local heritage.

He also reported on the “state of play” regarding Toorourong Reservoir and Melbourne Water’s efforts to dismantle the bluestone spillway.

A Devonshire morning tea followed our guest speakers with an opportunity to catch up with each other.

The meeting soon resumed with brief reports from attendees on what groups were doing locally including hosting events as part of Seniors Week and Local History Week.

14 people stayed for further networking over lunch and then a small band received an informal tour from Parks Victoria Ross Mugavin around the property.

I received a comment via email the following day which certainly summed up the day: “I thought it was a worthwhile get together with interesting and relevant speakers. In speaking with others they expressed the value of meeting members of other local historical groups to share ideas and gain support for what they are doing.”

To learn more about Carome Homestead read the Wikinorthia article

To view photos from the Forum day visit Yarra Plenty local History on Flickr

Brae's Farm, Mernda

A researcher is seeking information on the property, formerly known as Brae's Farm now known as 60 Cravens Road, Mernda. (It was also known as Black Braes Farm). The property was purchased by George Earle as Lots 456-60 of Separation in 1854. (He may have later bought additional lots.) He sold it to Henrietta Shanks in 1896, the property staying in the Shanks family after her death in 1920. The researcher is particularly interested in trying to get an idea of any buildings on the property.

Please contact: Guy Murphy at gmmurphy@netspace.net.au

To view other landmarks round Mernda visit the Mernda & District Residents Association Inc.