What’s New in September

Hubcaps to Creative Hubs

In 2016 Dr Cristina Garduño Freeman from the University of Melbourne and Dr Fiona Gray from Deakin University had a dream; to tell the stories of three Geelong industrial sites, making the journey to an amazing transformation.

Together they set to work to build a team of likeminded people to create a series of films that showcased how a new creative and maker culture can connect the past with the present. They found that team in Jennifer Cromarty and Helen Kostiuk of Creative Geelong Inc. and documentary producer Nicholas Searle.

With permission of the Copyright Owner, Dr Cristina Garduño Freeman now of the University of New South Wales, we are able to bring you these films that take the viewer through three relatively untold stories of Geelong’s history of important historical buildings that were facing the threat of obscurity and disrepair. Part 1 puts the lens of the Returned Soldiers and Serviceman’s Mills (RS&S) In Pakington Street, Part 2 has a focus on former Federal Woollen Mills in North Geelong and Part 3 the Fyansford Paper Mills.

The Story of Geelong

The Story of Geelong series began in the first volume of the Investigator. Under the editorship of Ian Wynd, it continued to publish a regular series under that title and I have opted to use that name too. The writer of these small histories is not formally recorded but comments in later editions suggest it was Ian Wynd and I have credited the writing to the magazine and its editor. Included also are some articles published by current members that focus on Lt Grant and later Matthew Flinders. Each month I will continue to add to this history of our region.

Some Important Society News

The President emailed and posted a newsletter after our August 1 Committee meeting. We have also created a dedicated page for Society newsletters and they can now be found on the website here. There were some issues with some emails going to members’ spam folders. In attempt to address these issues he has created a new email address and included a dedicated mobile number to improve member access. Harry Roberts can now be contacted on 0473807944 and via email at presidentgeelonghistoricalsoc@gmail.com.

Some Key GHS Committee Changes

As most members would know our long-serving Secretary, Editor of Investigator and Committee Member, Daryl Wight, has resigned from all his positions but hopes to remain active within the society. The Committee Meeting endorsed the appointment of Victoria Spicer as the new editor of Investigator magazine and also co-opted her as a member of the Committee.

The key role of Secretary of the Geelong Historical Society Inc has yet to be filled. As state regulations require the role to be filled within 14 days of an incumbent’s resignation the Committee has nominated Michael O’Donnell as the Acting Secretary. He will assume the role until our November meeting. This time frame should give members time to consider nominating for the position. If you are interested please contact the President but there will be more information regarding the nomination process published shortly.

The Joseph Francis Costa Collection

The Geelong Historical Society is proud to put on display some of the digitised images from an amazing series of photographs of Geelong, dating from the mid-19th century and the early 20th century. Some of these photographs you will recognise from other collections but there are also other rare images that so perfectly capture the life of our city and district from very early days.

To provide you with the flavour of the collection, we have selected three of the photographs for general display. The remaining 93 images can only be viewed after registering for access to the members site, which is of course free to financial members of the Geelong Historical Society.