Our History

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Wednesday, 22 January 2025

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Our History

Snapshot of the past

A photograph featuring Harold Higgs who is one of Drouin’s World War I heroes. Harold, on the right, is captured alongside some of his regiment in July 1917, presumably whilst on leave from the fighting. Harold was born June 5, 1890, the fifth child...

Changes in the chook house

Chooks have played an important part in our history, believe it or not. When my mother’s great grandfather came down from Mount Cole, in the Western District to Officer he transported his family and all his good on a bullock dray. He even camped for...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of Lambert Lieshout carting milk cans in the Longwarrydistrict. We often hear how technology is changing our lives forever. But, of course, it has always been this way, just as the invention of the wheel changed the way we cart goods...

Croajingolong National Park

I recently put together some notes on the Errinundra and Coopracambra national parks but I did not have room for the third large national park in the far east of Gippsland. I did not have room to include the Croajingolong National Park which has...

Snapshot of the past - “Jackie” the lyrebird

A photograph capturing the framed tail feathers of “Jackie the Lyrebird” who was part of the McNeilly family and became quite a famous resident of Drouin. To put the story into context, the forests of West Gippsland were alive with native lyrebirds...

The voice of nature study

When I was recently - and rather desperately - looking for information on the three big National Parks in East Gippsland, I came across the name of Norman Wakefield. It rang a loud bell. I then remembered that Norman Wakefield was the “voice of...

Our changing Christmas

One of the few delights in aging is that one can look back and enjoy reminiscences of the past. Perhaps fortunately, we wear rose-coloured glasses when we do that, so the past usually looks at least as good as the present, and often better. I can’t...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of workers, including William McNeilly (third right), felling trees and clearing land in Drouin. William McNeilly was born in 1871 as the fourth child of John and Eliza McNeilly, acknowledged as the first European settlers to take out...

Seaforth, the town that never was

On July 5, 1889 the Victorian Gazette announced the creation of a township at Mount Singapore on Wilson Promontory. This was to be one of several townships to be created around Corner Inlet and on the Prom, but the others did not get far enough to...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of the Waugh Motors building in Drouin under construction in August 1952. This building at 116-126 Princes Way still stands today. It houses three businesses, including Roger Manson Panels. William Waugh built Waugh Motors after...

“Wreckers” on the Gippsland coast

A “wrecker” was some one who set false lights and fires to lure ships onto rocks, there to be pillaged. Jack Loney uses the term for those who stole from wrecks but did not actually cause themLoney has produced many small books of historical and...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of a community swimming carnival at Picnic Point at Longwarry North in 1926. As the long, hot days of summer approach and people turn their minds to how to stay cool, give a thought to those in the 1920s. There certainly wasn’t the modern...

The bonfires that once were

I looked at my calendar just now, and I realised that November 5th had passed me by without me even noticing it. Back in the 40s, 50s and even 60s that could not have happened. Not even close. Bonfire night was one of the biggest things in our year...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of SES volunteers filling sandbags to protect a Trafalgar from flood waters in November 1995. The SES volunteers include Peter Wood, Jim Hoskins and Darren Bell. This photograph appeared on the front page of “The Trader” on November 9 as...

Photographs capture rail history

I want to continue my review of “Whistles Through the Tall Timber” this week. I said it is a book that impresses me. Author/photographer Nick Anchen was born with railways in the blood. His father and great grandfather were both railwaymen, so many...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of Vin Rowe’s new premises in Warragul captured in November 1974. Established in 1961, the business still provides a range of agricultural equipment to the farming community. The new premises built in Endeavour St allowed business...

Stories from the Noojee line

Sometimes I get a pleasant surprise, and it happened a few weeks ago. Val and I took some German friends to lunch at the Nooj Pub and there I saw a book on sale. It was the last copy they had and I snapped it up. I am very glad about that because...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of the large crowd gathered to officially open a new outdoor swimming pool at Drouin High School in December 1961. The new pool, officially opened by Minister for Education Mr Bloomfield before parents and students, cost £15,000 to...

Snapshot of the past

A photograph of St Thomas Anglican Church in A’Beckett Rd, Bunyip in 1975. This photograph appeared in The Gazette as part of a Bunyip Chamber of Commerce campaign. It aimed to publicise Bunyip along the theme, “Bunyip is Beautiful”, with the church...