(Note: This is a text excerpt. Refer to the newsletter PDF for the complete newsletter including images)
During the holiday break committee members have been at work to find a solution for the need to establish a permanent residence for our artefacts, photographs, books and all other items of historical interest we have acquired during the last 20 years.
We have been in touch with the Bass Coast Shire, and are presently waiting for an outcome to our request for assistance.
Our biggest desire is to be able to display our historical items for the many visitors and our own members of the town to see in a permanent building, rather than have them stored out of sight in homes and garages around the town and nearby farms.
When the Rocket shed was opened for display during the recent Regatta at Inverloch, we were pleased to welcome a large number of visitors each day, and they usually had plenty of questions to ask about the maritime history of the town.
Antiques Roadshow
At our last meeting for 2015, a very successful antiques Roadshow was organised. The hall was packed with members and visitors and the appraisals were conducted by Fleur Speed. The items brought along were both interesting and varied. Also, the values of items varied from $40 for a China Bowl to an Ansonia clock valued at $700, but in the City could fetch $1,200.
The Society recently acquired some butchers’ scales which some years ago were situated in the butchers shop in Inverloch owned by the Banks family. It was valued at between $500 and $800. Fleur and her assistant Evelyn were thanked for their great effort during the afternoon and a presentation in appreciation was made.
Regatta
The Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta, held on the Australia day weekend was again very successful, congratulations to the organising Committee. The wooden boats were on display in The Glade, and there was a display of classic Indian motorcycles nearby. Motorcycle racing was very popular in Inverloch following World War 1.Burt Munro from New Zealand visited Inverloch in the 1920s where he raced motorcycles with others on the beach.
Stuart Longley’s very old wooden boat was also a feature of the display.
Notes from the past
We have recently acquired three volumes of INVERLOCH NEWS. “Your little newspaper with all the news”. Price 40c
An article from issue No. 13 dated 9-8-91 was written by our Patron Eulalie Brewster. A short extract from it tells us that “By 1901 Inverloch’s population had decreased to 87, possibly the 1891 census had included settlers in the surrounding district.
At least three men had gone to the Boer War. The township had become popular as a destination for holidays as well as a seaport and fishing village.
Visitors could come by “The Ripple” or by rail to Korumburra and Outtrim, thence to travel by coach to Inverloch as they had done in the last years of the previous decade.
When the Powlett River Coal Field was opened, coal was hauled by road to Inverloch and transported to Melbourne until the town of Wonthaggi was established, and the railway line was completed from Nyora to Wonthaggi. The jetty at Inverloch was widened and strengthened for this traffic while the town and estate agents prepared for a time of great development.”
Another article from INVERLOCH NEWS dated 27-9-91, tells us that a small Fairy Penguin was found wedged between two rocks at Eagles Nest during the week, but unfortunately it died a short time afterwards.
The penguin was rescued from the beach, wrapped in a woollen garment to keep it warm, and taken to the Environment Centre, but it died of shock.
The penguin was untagged and was therefore not a member of the Phillip Island Penguin Reserve family.
It is the third penguin to be found in Inverloch in the last five months.
(Editor: Ian Mc Burnie)