Torquay & District Historical Society

Plenty Historical Society Inc was formed in February 2001 and comprises a group of people keen to create and nurture an active and sustainable organisation that is assertive in preserving the unique natural and historical environment and culture of Plenty and district in complement with Nillumbik Shire Council’s Heritage Overlay.

Image: Former Plenty Uniting (Methodist) Church building which has recently been relocated to the Plenty Heritage Park, Memorial Drive, Plenty, by the Major Roads Projects Authority (MRPA), a section of VicRoads, as a result of the need to move it from its former site because of major roadworks being undertaken. MRPA acquired the building from the Uniting Church when they acquired the land for road construction. MRPA is donating the building to the Plenty Historical Society Inc. once renovations and significant other works are completed. The building will then become the new home of the Plenty Historical Society inc. It will be some time before the Society gains access to the building, but we are most grateful that firstly our efforts to save the building from possible demolition and have it relocated to the Heritage Park and eventually acquire the church building have been worthwhile.

The church building has been assessed as historical significant on a local level, for its long association with religious community gatherings and activities in the Plenty farming area. It should be seen as a locally significant representative of the Methodist revival of the 1920s, in which rural home missionaries played an important and distinctive role in sustaining local religious communities. Methodism was a Christian sect originating in England from the teachings of Wesley, born out of concern in the 19th century that the established church ‘had little or no desire for the salvation of the masses’ (Benson 1935:8) As a form of ‘social Christianity”\’, it emphasised missionary work among the poor, workers, and remote communities. It was a powerful force in educating the working class and evangelising its moral code. Travelling preachers and lay helpers drawn from its own ranks thus quickly multiplied and chapels were erected in centres of population predominantly using funds raised from its congregations, The Home Mission, established in 1875 to spread Methodism throughout the remote communities of the British Empire, trained and deployed ‘home missionaries’ who were the ‘shock-troops’ of the church. Their activity made Methodism, despite its relative youth, a strong presence in the colonies and the dominions, and Methodists regularly ranked among the main religious groups in new Victorian settler Communities

The former chapel is locally significant as one of a small number of buildings representing the establishment of the township of Plenty in the 1920s based around its small farming community. Plenty district developed following the arrival of the railway, even though the railway was some distance away. It developed as a community of small farmers. Plenty was then a developing orchard and farming district. Its school opened in 1922, with 29 pupils. The post office opened in 1923. The 1920s, when the church was built was thus an important period of growth in the history of Plenty.

Methodist services were first held at Plenty in 1925, under the auspices of the Diamond Creek Methodist Home Mission Station, which had six churches throughout the Diamond Valley. Other Churches were at Diamond Creek, Arthurs Creek, Cottles Bridge, Hurstbridge and Wattle Glen. In 1925, the Victorian Methodist Church encouraged the building of new country churches by offering £50 to communities who could raise £100. The Methodists of Plenty took advantage of the offer, and their wooden chapel was opened in December 1925. Within five years of opening the church was debt free. (Source: “Independent Panel Hearing Statement of Evidence on Former Methodist Church” January 2012)

Accredited museum and archives. Monthly general meetings and committee meetings.

The society was formed in 1963 as a centre for local research into the early history of the town and it’s pioneer families. From modest beginnings, the organisation has grown to a membership of more than 120, with a much wider range of interests.

In 1992 the society was able to negotiate the lease of the historic Courthouse building in Gipps Street, Port Fairy, which was renamed The History Centre.

The Courthouse is one of over fifty buildings in Port Fairy classified by the National Trust as essential to the heritage of Australia and which must be preserved. It was built in 1859, with the portico added in 1869, and a further three rooms at the rear in 1874, to make the building as it is today. At the time of construction, it was the only Courthouse in the Western District of Victoria, and housed sittings of the Supreme Court and County Courts as well as General Sessions. It remained in use until 1988, when its last function, as a Licensing Court, was transferred to Warrnambool.

Much of the work of the society involves the development of the Courthouse as a museum and archives, and includes participation in the Museum Accreditation Program with which we have been accredited since 1998. The main courtroom houses a display of the original court furniture, with figures in costume. Five other rooms contain both permanent and temporary exhibitions on themes such as the early pioneers of the district, the whaling era in Port Fairy, local shipping and wrecks along the coast.

Profile Photograph: Port Fairy Historical Society Museum and Archives building by Peter Grenfell (2018)

The Port Phillip Pioneers Group (PPPG) was formed in May 1970, as a special interest group of The Genealogical Society of Victoria (GSV).

The original purpose was to bring together members of the GSV who could establish direct lineal descent from Pioneers who settled or were born in the Port Phillip District of the Colony of New South Wales (the present State of Victoria) prior to 1 July 1851.

The Group became a separate Incorporated Association in April 1991 and membership of the GSV is no longer required. Linkage with the GSV is maintained as an inaugural Member Group.

The aims and objectives of PPG are:

• To perpetuate the memory of, and create a greater awareness of, the part played by the Pioneers of early settlement in the area of the present State of Victoria;
• To compile biographical and genealogical data of the Pioneers and their immediate families;
•  To preserve written and printed material which illustrates aspects of Pioneer settlement in Victoria.

Established in 1854, the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute is a community owned and run library specialising in the history of Victoria, Australia. With more than 30,000 books for loan and a professional information service for our members, we provide a central resource for research into the history of Victoria.

In addition to our extensive lending and reference library specialising in works about Victorian history, we organise educational activities including lectures, seminars and competitions to encourage and facilitate the study of history.

The Society has a collection of memorabilia, photographs and written records relevant to the history and development of the district. The largest project has been to create a wall of honour, photos of the original settlers and their wives, along with many of those who set up the township.

[caption id="attachment_2489" align="alignnone" width="792"] Former Red Cliffs Courthouse and home to Red Cliffs & District Historical Society[/caption]

Profile Image: Big Lizzie, an icon of Red Cliffs. Read more about the history of Big Lizzie.

 

The Society holdings include over 3,000 photographs, cemetery, school, church and Shire of Grenville records, Grenville Standard newspapers. The Society forms the Committee of Management for the 1874 Linton Library/Mechanics Institute.

The Kastellorizian Association of Victoria was established in 1925 to give assistance to the fledgling Greek community of Melbourne who emigrated from the tiny island of Kastellorizo. A Brotherhood was established offering vital social, economic and cultural support and links to its members.

With recent amendments to our Constitution, our primary purpose now is to use our activities and functions as a vehicle to assist those in need in the Kastellorizian and wider Greek Community.

These activities aim to promote among Kastellorizians and their descendents in Victoria, the cultural heritage of Kastellorizo and the integration of its community into the multicultural society of the Australian community. This includes the organisation of social functions to foster continued social interaction between families and friends of Kastellorizo, the promotion of cultural activities by organising lectures, exhibitions, recitals, musical evenings etc and the promotion of academic and/or sporting excellence by awarding prizes and scholarships.

Image: 1928 Kazzie Picnic, a very symbolic, traditional and annual event for the Kastellorizian community.