Poowong is turning 150.
And there will be plenty going on to mark and celebrate the milestone birthday from Friday to Sunday, April 19 to 21.
An anniversary committee co-ordinated by the Poowong Community Consultative Committee is spreading out the welcome mat for all past and present residents of the district to roll up.
The Poowong area was originally settled through offers by the then Victorian colonial government that enabled pioneering people to take up selections of property in what, at the time, was a heavily timbered area.
The celebrations will kick off on the Friday night with an old time dance in the public hall.
Over the weekend local groups and organisations including the school, fire brigade, library, kindergarten, hotel, Anglican church and community garden, Uniting church, and the Pioneer Chapel will be open for people to reacquaint and rekindle memories, see many and varied displays of historical items and photographs and, on the Saturday at the recreation reserve, cheer on the Poowong football and netball teams at their home match against neighbourhood rival Nyora.
The recently renovated Pioneer Chapel and grounds will have displays of historic farm machinery, photographs and other items from the district's past, as will the public hall, Uniting Church, Mya Mya cafe and the local Landcare group.
Plenty of activities are being organised for children, there'll be cutting of an anniversary cake, launch of a book titled "Since we were a century 150 years" and unveiling of two paintings that are to be installed on an outside wall of the hall.
The Saturday action will wind up at the hall with a bring-your-own basket tea.
An ecumenical church service on Sunday starting at 10am in the hall will be followed by an informal afternoon gathering for catch-ups and reminiscing.