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MARCH 2001 NEWSLETTER MARKET DAY March
31 is fast approaching so please support us in any way you can. Locals can
provide goods such as cakes, biscuits, plants, produce etc to sell, or buy a
sausage or drink from the stall we run A few different stalls have expressed
interest in coming as well as the caravan from CHIRP doing free blood pressure
and blood sugar level testing. Help in serving at our stall would also he
appreciated. If you are too far away to attend don’t forget the raffle for the
fruitcake that Giselle Neall has made. Tickets are 50 cents each. Ring me (Dawn
Angliss 0354762006} if you would like a small book of 10 tickets sent to you.
Our Melbourne member Margaret Di Fiore, who sends us information about our
district that she researches from the copies of the Mount Alexander Mail at the
State Library, will be there and it will be a good chance to meet her EXCURSIONS As
planned some members went to the Newstead Cemetery on March 12. The trustees do
a good job of maintaining the last resting place for so many of the early
settlers and pioneers of the district. Many of the names on the headstones were
familiar to us from the articles in copies of the Newstead Echo. We also drove
around the corner to see the marker that shows where several Chinese are buried.
Then we continued to Sandon to see the cemetery attached to the Catholic church
of St Laurence. Again names from the past, reminded us of Thomas Martin’s
letter of early Newstead and Strangways. On this theme, opinions were expressed
that we should have had Moira Petersen secretary of the Newstead cemetery
present to explain more details and that a visit to the Joyces Creek cemetery
with Peter and Lil Skilbeck as leaders would be a valuable exercise. Another day
out is needed. At the March meeting plans to go to the new museum in Melbourne
were drawn up. We intend going on Thursday May 3, leaving on the 8.07 train from
Castlemaine. Everyone
is welcome! Derek
Reid has come up with more information on the Harry Lauder mine at Sandon and
when a date for this trip is established, we will let you know. GRANTS To
make better use of the copies of the Newstead Echo (1896 – l920) that we
already have and the copies of the remaining years that we will receive From the
PRO grant, it has been decided to look into getting another microfilm reader
with printer attached. On
Monday mornings the present reader is in demand with the indexing that is being
done by Janet Trudgeon and quite often visitors wanting to use it as well. As
well, if copies of articles are required, that involves booking time on the
reader-printer that is housed in Castlemaine and taking our reels there to
process them. A second hand reader-printer is hopefully affordable! Work on the
landscaping and drainage, funded by the Parks Victoria Grant, is expected to
start soon. Derek Reid has received news from Parks Victoria that they are
sending officers to inspect the roasting kilns at Thornhill Reef that is the
subject of his application to have them repaired. It sounds hopeful. ANNUAL MEETING Our
annual meeting will be on Monday April 23rd at the Courthouse at 8
pm. As usual, this is a short meting with the election of office bearers etc,
before our guest speaker and then supper. Our speaker this year is David Evans,
a member of the Woady Yallock Historical Society with a special interest in
mines. David is indexing mining accidents. We look forward to a good attendance
of members and friends. CURRENT WORK Work
on putting into the files on the computers, Margaret Di Fiore’s work on Mount
Alexander Mail continues on Monday mornings and also in specially arranged days
with volunteers that Liz Coady has organised. There is just so much still to do.
John Neall does a great job of maintenance of the furniture in the courthouse as
well as vacuuming. As well, John has expressed an interest in organising a copy
of the past members and office bearers of the Society, probably in the form of
an album containing names and photos. If asked for a photo in the near future it
will be for inclusion in this book. We also are getting a lot of photos of our
present day excursions and important occasions that need to be stored in an
appropriate album. Outside the courthouse there is always a need to keep the
area around the building weed free so volunteers to spray and pull out a nasty
infestation of ”love weed” are welcome Be assured of a warm welcome and a
cuppa at 11! |
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Page last updated: 20 December 2008