You can listen to a reading of this article by clicking the link below: Viv Lewis on Geelong’s pioneering ambulance service A gathering of 35 members and guests enjoyed one of the most memorable presentations of our 2026 program when Viv Lewis delivered a lively, deeply researched and unexpectedly personal account of Geelong’s pioneering role in the development of ambulance services in Victoria and Australia. Her talk began as a meticulously documented history, but as …
Ben Petkov – Beating the Bounds You can listen to a reading of the report by clicking the following link: Senior Heritage Officer Ben Petkov joined the Society to present a lively and engaging exploration of Beating the Bounds, a once‑routine civic ritual that has left only a handful of physical traces across Geelong. Ben began by expressing his appreciation for the invitation, noting that heritage officers often work as “quiet advocates” and rarely have …
Speaker Report — Jim Happ on Geelong’s Municipal Incinerator You can listen to a reading of this article by clicking the link below: At our 3 June meeting, Jim Happ delivered a rich and absorbing exploration of a largely forgotten chapter in Geelong’s civic history: the development, operation and legacy of the city’s 1928 municipal garbage incinerator. Although “no photo remains” of the Geelong plant, Jim reconstructed its story through engineering records, comparable facilities and …
The first female students at The Geelong College Shaping Memory: How Archives Reveal the Story of Change You can listen to a reading of this article Our guest speaker last night was Carolyn Stok, Archivist at The Geelong College, who also had worked in a similar capacity with the Geelong Football Club and whose early experiences were served at the Geelong Heritage Centre. Carolyn described her role not just as an archivist, but as a …
The Fyansford Paper Mill: Industry, Ingenuity and Community Listen to a reading of this article by clicking the link below: The Society was delighted to welcome Rod Morrison to a well-attended meeting, with thirty members present. Rod gave a lively and insightful overview of the long and colourful history of the Fyansford Paper Mill. Rod became involved during COVID, when Highton Rotary’s usual fundraising projects were shut down. He joined a small Rotary team that …
You can listen to a reading of this article by clicking the following link: Improving Fish Passage in the Barwon and Moorabool Rivers The Society President, Harry Roberts, opened the evening by reflecting on the changing meaning of heritage. Once centred almost entirely on buildings, monuments and material relics, the concept now embraces the full legacy we inherit from our forebears: the geology that shapes our landscapes, the plants and animals that define our ecosystems, …
Art in the Park – A History of the Geelong Art Gallery By Dr David Rowe You can listen to a reading of this article by clicking the link below: This month’s lecture was delivered by Dr David Rowe, a Society member ‘since last century’, he is a former editor of Investigator magazine, a contributor to our publications, and the author of the City of Greater Geelong’s Thematic History of Geelong—a major work in its …
At the Society’s December meeting, members were treated to three engaging presentations that celebrated the richness of local history and the joy of shared discovery. Peter Mackinlay’s vivid recollections of East Geelong in the 1940s brought childhood adventures to life with humour and warmth. Harry Roberts revisited the excitement of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1954 visit, drawing on archival detail his talk resonated with the personal memories of many of those present. Michael O’Donnell’s search for …
You can listen to a reading of this article by clicking the following link: Enlisting and Resisting At our November Society meeting, we were privileged to hear from Dr Bart Ziino of Deakin University, whose talk, Enlisting and Resisting: Why Did Australian Men Decline to Enlist in the Great War?, offered a compelling exploration of the decisions made by those who stayed behind in Australia rather than enlist in the First AIF. While the stories …
The Cowies Creek Confrontation of 1803 Speaker Report on the presentation by Harry Roberts at the October 1 Meeting Harry Roberts delivered a compelling presentation on the Cowies Creek Incident of 1803, inviting members to imagine the scene near Corio Bay on October 22, nearly 222 years ago. He guided the audience through one of the earliest recorded encounters between the Wadawurrung people and European explorers, encouraging reflection on the consequences of the following 24 …
Charles Brownlow: the man, the legacy All members in attendance enjoyed the conversational style of presentation Tony and Bob used to illuminate different aspects of Charles Brownlow’s life and character. We read about and view the presentation of the prestigious Charles Browlow’s medal as the AFL’s recognition of the season’s Best and Fairest player. Seldom do we understand and appreciate the character and background of the man. At best, we known he was involved with …
The National Wool Museum: A Museum of and for Geelong. Listen to the August 6 Report or just read on. At our August 6 meeting, Padraic Fisher, the Director of the National Wool Museum, delivered an engaging presentation – “A Museum of and for Geelong.” His talk outlined the Museum’s evolving vision as a dynamic civic institution—one that not only preserves Geelong’s rich heritage but also invites active public engagement with its present and future …
Carollyn Williams: Tracing the Francis Family and Local History in Torquay At our recent monthly meeting, society member Carollyn Williams — also Secretary of the Torquay Historical Society — delivered a warm and informative talk in two parts. She began by tracing the story of her Francis family ancestors, and then spoke about how this personal interest gradually drew her into a broader involvement with genealogy and the local history of the Torquay district. Carollyn …
Lara’s Story An original letter from a farm girl at Kirk’s Point in the late 1940s was a valuable personalaccount of Avalon Airport’s beginning. That’s one of the interesting stories that Jean Reesfrom the Lara History group, presented to our June monthly meeting. Jean’s family has been in Lara for generations. Her maiden name was Spalding and anyone who knows anything about Lara remembers the Limestone Quarry that operated near the town centre. The quarry …
Les Sanderson at the May 7 Meeting Les Sanderson gave the members attending the May Meeting a masterclass in lived local history. Les seemed to know every one of the 1353 people who call Little River home and had an anecdote ready at hand to illuminate their part in their community’s history. His own engagement with the people of Little River came at the age of 12 years when he became a volunteer at the …
The Baird Family Dr Roz Otzen provided an engaging talk into the Baird family who migrated to Geelong from Glasgow during the Gold Rush Period. Originally from the area of Rutherglen, outside of Glasgow, by 1853 five of the nine children of the family patriarch, Robert Baird (born 1772), had settled in Geelong. Robert Baird had been a calico printer but his children had a more mechanical and entrepreneurial bent. The eldest son, Alexander, had …
“Don’t focus on the obstacles rather look for the opportunities around them”. Andrew Caddy and Graham Harrison gave a most engaging talk on the history of the Western District Car Club. Both men are long-time members of their club that, like ours, was created in the 1940s and continues strongly today. Andrew Caddy (left) and Graham Harrison on February 5 Quite a few of our members, who were in attendance, were familiar with the drivers …
September Meeting Report: A History of Cricket in Geelong. Geelong is a city known for its sporting achievements. We were fortunate to listen to Tony Joel and Mathew Turner speak about the history of Cricket in Geelong at our September meeting. Tony and Mat recalled how cricket began in 1840, less than two years after Geelong officially became a town in 1838. They began their talk explaining how their book, Line and Length: A History …
Geelong Heritage Centre. Our last meeting was more than just a visit, it was a homecoming. It took place at the Kim barne thaliyu / Geelong Heritage Centre on the third floor of the Geelong Regional Library. Look carefully on the shelves and in the files of Geelong Heritage Centre and you will find evidence that the Geelong Historical Society is still there. Books Investigators magazine, photographs, maps and books, that were once part of …
Phoebe Wilkens – Geelong Stories. Our July meeting was well-attended with over forty members and visitors being the lucky recipients of an engaging presentation by Phoebe Wilkens, a local Geelong historian and genealogist. Phoebe Wilkens – our July speaker Phoebe began with a short account of her professional journey beginning first with volunteer and then full-time positions at the Royal Historical Society and Geelong’s Heritage Centre before working at PROV (Victoria’s Public Records Office). Ten …
