FANNIE BAY HISTORY AND HERITAGE SOCIETY INC.

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2013 FANNIE BAY HISTORY AND HERITAGE SOCIETY INC. The Society has had yet another busy year, as we faced new challenges whilst maintaining our commitment to long standing activities. This would not have been possible, but for the enthusiastic support and positive outlook of all the members. We again conducted the History Mystery Tours, supported the Friends of Calma Gardens and the Friends of Darwin High School, applied for Grants, monitored the aesthetic redevelopment of historical sites, and conducted the Aviators Commemoration with assistance from RAAF Darwin, Darwin High School, Parap Primary School, Northern Territory Library and Darwin City Council. We received donations of historical material from benefactors and we continued with our work of conserving historical photos and places of the Fannie Bay/Parap area. Goyder Road Cemetery The Society in consultation with Michael Wells Director of the Heritage Unit and Ms Nicole Harper of Darwin City Council continue to explore ways in which the appearance of the Goyder Road Cemetery might be improved. Historical Plaque on Amy Johnston Walkway The rock on which was mounted the plaque detailing pioneer aviators achievements was the focus of much attention for quite some time. The rock had been situated on the site of the Airport s Control Tower, but had been removed to allow work on the Kingston Green development to proceed. The units have been completed, but the rock has not yet been re-sited in its original place. Negotiations have been under way for some considerable time to have the rock resited on its original spot, which is in the corner of the Quest Apartments car park, part of the Kingston Green development. The President and Vice President, in conjunction with local Member Michael Gunner met with Ms Glenys Bentin Manager of Quest apartments and Mark the Assistant Manager. The meeting discussed a more appropriate historical location for the rock and the Quest representatives were quite happy to move the commemorative rock closer to the original tower site. The proposed new site would have camera surveillance and hopefully therefore would not be vandalised. A further proposal was put to them that they might also consider displaying an interpretive sign with photographs of the Airport and Control Tower in the general reception area. They were quite amenable to this idea and the President undertook to obtain a selection of photographs from the NT Library for their consideration. The Quest management indicated that they would cover the costs of these proposals. I thank our Vice President Ash Dally for his continued efforts to bring this matter to a successful conclusion. Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 1

2 Seniors Month and the History Mystery Tours A series of History Mystery Tours were conducted during the month of August. The Tours were designed to cater for Seniors and assistance with funding was obtained from the Dept of Health & Families. The Tours are becoming a permanent fixture on the Seniors calendar, with many locals attending, but also a good number of visitors, many of whom now schedule their Darwin visit to co-incide with the tours. Thanks go to Peter Poole who provided the commentary for the tours and to Lindsay Greene from the Fannie Bay Electorate Office, Fiona Douglas, Ash Dally, Yvonne Forrest, Ingrid Nadjarian and Kathryn Southon for their assistance with the tours. Transport was again cheerfully provided by the Tour Tub and I thank Rob Marchant for his continued enthusiasm. Refreshments at the conclusion of the tours were attended to by Kathryn Southon assisted by members of the Society. Conversation with participants after the tours indicated that they enjoyed themselves and there were some lively debates on various sites, especially the old golf course. The numbers on each tour were about the same as the 2012 participation rate. Aviators Commemoration The Aviators Commemoration continues to play an important role in the society and is a valuable public relations exercise. The guest speaker in 2013 was Morgan Gurry, a Year 7 student at Darwin Middle School. Morgan showed herself to be an articulate and confident young lady and impressed all at the ceremony. This year to mark the 94 th anniversary, the Society sought the assistance of a number of organisations to mark the occasion. Darwin City Council was most generous with logistical support and the area looked immaculate whilst The RAAF provided an Honour Guard and a mobile flag pole. The 94 th anniversary of the Great Air Race, which saw the first international flight land in Australia behind the Fannie Bay Gaol, was marked with a simple yet dignified ceremony on Monday 10 th December. Students from Darwin High School, assisted by Year 6 students from Parap Primary School conducted the commemoration at the monument on Ross Smith Avenue, for the Society. Kae Jenn Tchia, a Year 12 student from Darwin High School was the MC for the event and handled with aplomb the protocols associated with dignitaries such as Her Honour the Administrator, the Lord Mayor of Darwin, the Consul for the Republic of Indonesia and Defence Force Chiefs. The RAAF provided an Honour Guard and Year 11 student Eric Beale played the National Anthem as the flag was raised. Guests were met by students who escorted them to their seats. Morgan Gurry delivered the Oration. Guests were served refreshments by the Darwin High and Parap Primary School representatives. The Society is indebted to Darwin High School, Parap Primary School and the RAAF Base Darwin for their continued support for this event, and to Darwin City Council, Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 2

3 local radio and the print and electronic media. This event would not have been possible, except for the tremendous support given by members of the Society and Fiona Douglas and Kathryn Southon who co-ordinated the afternoon and refreshments. Vickers Vimy Commemoration With the centenary of the first flight now on the horizon, thought is being given as to how best mark this historic occasion. Ideas to date include the issue by Australia Post of special commemorative stamps; the issue by the Australian Mint of commemorative coins featuring the fliers and their plane; the possibility of transporting the replica Vickers Vimy, currently stored in an aircraft hangar in the UK, to Australia for display. (The replica was constructed and flew the Smith Brothers route to mark the 75 th anniversary; the construction and flight being sponsored in the main by National Geographic). the development of a road map and accompanying booklet covering the route taken by the Vickers Vimy from Darwin down the East coast to its final resting place in Adelaide (similar ventures have promoted Eyre s epic Nullabor Trip and John McDouall Stuart s South-North trip across Australia); the staging of a heritage football match (Hudson Fish played for Waratahs during his two months in Darwin, and was frequently named best and fairest player). Meetings have been held with the Community Events co-ordinator at Darwin City Council and a PowerPoint presentation outlining our suggestions was made to the full Darwin City Council by Fiona Douglas and Judy Boland in November The presentation was well received and gained media coverage. Even though our presentation was well received, we need to continually reminded Aldermen that the Great Air Race which was the first international flight from England to Australia was a world shattering event and needs to be marketed as such. To date, we have had no formal reply from the City of Darwin Council. An event such as this, needs every day of the 6 years lead up time if we are to make this a truly national event. Aware that time is slipping away, a deputation consisting of Special Projects Officer Fiona Douglas, Secretary Kathryn Southon and President Judy Boland sought a meeting with the Minister for Tourism Matt Conlan. A PowerPoint presentation, similar to that made to the City of Darwin was given. Mr Tom Slattery Senior Ministerial Advisor was impressed and indicated that the Minister may well be interested in the project. We are yet to hear anything definite on the proposal. The Society has already done much research work by meeting with Qantas officials to ascertain if and at what cost Qantas could transport the replica from the UK; preliminary meetings with the Department of Defence have elicited that they would consider such a proposal, but would need at least a 5 year lead time to prepare for it. Local aviation enthusiasts have indicated that if requested they would give serious consideration to building a full-scale replica here in Darwin, to be housed in Darwin, preferably at the Aviation Museum. Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 3

4 Fiona Douglas has spent considerable time and effort interstate at her own expense, locating and recording the whereabouts of photos pertinent to the event from the Macquarie Library in Sydney, the Qantas Heritage Centre, the State Archives of New South Wales and the Australian Archives. Meanwhile Kathryn Southon and Judy Boland have sought follow-up meetings with Darwin City Council personnel in an effort to progress this event. It seems that the Society will need to be like the proverbial terrier with the bone to keep this issue at the forefront of future planning! Website Work is now under way to establish a website. While the actual content has not yet been settled, it had been hoped that we would be able to piggy-back on to another like organisation. This idea now seems impractical and we are at present investigating costs to develop and maintain the site ourselves. Both Jane Farr and Fiona Douglas have undertaken courses that will assist them with this project. I thank both Jane and Fiona for their continued efforts with the venture. Fund raising Our Fund raising guru Yvonne Forrest has been has been hard at work and conducted a most enjoyable and successful function in May at Christ Church Cathedral. Vivian Hayward, well known in education and history circles, intrigued us with Christ Church Cathedral Darwin, its land and the mystery of Nicholas Waters. I thank Yvonne for her efforts in this regard. Funding Grants Five Funding Grants were applied for during the 2013 year. A Seniors Month Grant was received from the Department of Health and Families. This enabled us to again conduct the very popular History Mystery Tours in August. A Celebrating 50 years on Bullocky Point grant was received on behalf of the Friends of Darwin High School. This enabled a plaque to be placed on A block marking its 50 years of existence and a photographic display to be mounted at the NT Library. An Aviators Grant was received from the Heritage Unit. This was used to stage the Aviators Commemoration in December and to provide such luxuries as a public address system. The provision of a PA system was a timely innovation which was appreciated by all present. As numbers at this function continue to grow and it is something that we will need to provide for at future commemorations. A grant was received to cover costs associated with the Foelsche Centenary commemorations In January Events are bing organised in conjunction with Lodge Foelsche, the NT Library, the NT Archives Centre and the NT Police. A grant was also received that would enable the Society to establish its own website. Although still in its infancy, the website promises great things thanks to the dedication and efforts of Fiona Douglas and Jane Farr. Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 4

5 The Society also lent its support to a grant application made by the Friends of Calma Gardens to the City of Darwin for funding to enable them to establish a natural vegetation buffer zone behind the Calma Gardens units. Unfortunately the application was not successful on this occasion. The Society will continue to support the residents of Calma Gardens in further applications. Original Heritage Airport Sign Trevor Horman President of National Trust sought the Society s input into the marking of the Parap Road-Stuart Highway intersection with an interpretive sign. The sign has been manufactured, but is yet to be placed in position. The intersection was a most important feature of early Darwin, as Parap Road led to what was regarded as the industrial heartland of the fledgling township. Within the area now encompassed by Ludmilla, Parap and Fannie Bay, was found an Airfield and associated infrastructure, the Railway Loco sheds and workshops, a motor transport storage facility and workshop, a meatworks on Bullocky Point, abattoirs in Bishop Street, a smelter in Iliffe Street, a brickworks where the Darwin Sailing Club now is, a cemetery and a quarry. There were also extensive fruit and vegetable gardens in Parap which were tended by the Chinese, the produce of which provided early Darwin with fresh fruit and vegetables. These industrial sites were the lifeblood of the embryonic settlement and its struggling economy. They should not be lost to history. Conservation of pioneer aviators signatures on Victoria Hotel wall The signatures left by pioneer aviators on the wall of the Victoria Hotel are showing the ravages of time and very soon they will not be able to be seen. The Society has decided that a series of professional photographs be taken while the writing can still be seen. These images could be then digitally enhanced and put on display to supplement the text already there. The originals were written in pencil, the lead of which is being absorbed into the porous porcellanite. It is proposed to apply for heritage funding in 2014 to enable conservation works to be undertaken and thus preserve this relic for the 2019 centenary. Newsletter In 2013, the newsletter was continued to keep members and the wider community informed as to our events. It has been most successful and I thank Yvonne Forrest for her efforts. Calendar The creation of a calendar to assist with managing of the Society s business, and to alert members to forthcoming events has been a boon to all. I thank our Secretary Kathryn Southon for her initiative in producing and maintaining this most useful tool. Membership: Our membership has shown a slight increase in the year under review; however we must investigate ways in which it can be further increased, so as to ensure the continued presence of FBHHS within the community. Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 5

6 Losses Members were saddened to learn of the death of founding member, former Treasurer and honorary life member Jean Vickery. Jean had been in indifferent health for the past few months and her passing at the age of 90 years was mourned by all. Another loss to the Society was good friend and stalwart supporter Diana Richards, Assistant Director of the Northern Territory Library. The Richards Family has relocated to Canberra. For the past 7 years Diana has facilitated the Soirées, which have been part of the Aviators commemoration. These evenings, held at the NT Library always attracted a good audience, who were treated to a new aviation themed acquisition each year. Diana s contribution to the Aviators commemoration will be sorely missed. Special Projects Officer With the move by businesses and government departments to a paperless operation, it has become evident that the Society must move with the times or be left behind. Technological advances mean that grants must now be completed online and our book-keeping needs to be electronic to match. More and more we are being asked to lodge our balance sheets and accounts on line when making grant applications. Special projects such as Web design, the Foelsche Centenary, the Aviators Commemoration and especially the Great Air Race Centenary in 2019, require the dedicated services of a competent researcher with the necessary computer skills to write submissions and complete grant applications. To this end, Fiona Douglas was invited to accept the position of Special Projects Officer. Fiona has been assiduous in her role and we have been successful in obtaining an increased number of grants which have enabled us to promote the history of the Fannie Bay/Parap area by involving the community in events which have gained media attention. Fannie Bay MLA The Society acknowledges the valued support and encouragement provided by the Member for Fannie Bay Mr Michael Gunner MLA. The use of the meeting room, the use of office equipment, the provision of storage facilities and the presence of the Local Member at functions cannot be measured in dollar terms. This is what enables our Society to function and to maintain a profile in the community. Darwin City Councillors The Society is very appreciative of the presence at monthly meetings of Alderman Allan Mitchell. We realise that Aldermen have very busy schedules, yet Allan finds time to attend meetings, keep abreast of our concerns and generally support us. We also appreciate the Lord Mayor s presence at our annual Aviators Commemoration. Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 6

7 The Treasurer Michael Nilon accepted the position of treasurer. Michael s business interests and family relocation to Brisbane have been an added strain, and Michael was not always able to attend meetings. However we thank him for the time and effort he gave to the Society. The Secretary The Society s secretary, Kathryn Southon has carried an enormous workload. Kathryn has kept the Society on track and the success of 2013 is largely due to her efforts. Kathryn has balanced the demands of our Society with those of her family. She has done a sterling job and the events continued as planned with executive members of the Society fully appraised of what was happening at all times. The Vice President The Society s Vice President Ash Dally has been a very able Vice President, chairing committee meetings in my absence and representing the Society at other meetings and functions. Ash is also a knowledgeable and dedicated protector of local historical sites. The Society s Patron The Society s Patron, the Hon Austin Asche has provided us with sage advice, especially in respect to the Constitution and like matters. He is also a very regular attendee at our meetings and we all benefit from his wise counsel. The Society hopes that Austin will continue in this role. Committee The Society has benefited from the input, suggestions and advice from all committee members as well as their behind-the-scenes support at functions. Refreshments and items such as chairs and tables have miraculously appeared to facilitate the conduct of an event. This has been volunteered, not asked for. To have committee members such as Annette, Arun, Pat, Brian and Mary, who are perceptive to what is needed and don t wait to be asked, makes the task of conducting such events so much easier. Thank you, one and all for your contribution to a most successful year for the Fannie Bay History and Heritage Society Inc. Judy Boland President 5 March 2014 It is with pleasure and pride that I table this report of the Society s activities for the year Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society Inc. Annual Report 2013 Page 7