At the launch of The Wandin Heritage Foundation, from left, pioneer descendent Graeme Sebire, Derek Mortimer from Moore’s Legal and trustees Graham Smith, Bruce Caldwell and Ian Pollock.By Kath Gannaway
A TRUST has been established to ensure the future of Mont De Lancey Historical Museum in Wandin.
The Wandin Heritage Foundation was launched at a breakfast in April attended by supporters of Mont De Lancey and local business people including many solicitors, accountants and bank managers.
Mont De Lancey is an authentic recreation of pioneer life built around Wandin’s earliest brick homestead and featuring a museum, 1880s slab kitchen, gardens, chapel, heritage education centre and blacksmiths’ shop.
Gifted to the community by the Sebire family in 1993, it has been restored and is maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers made up of descendants of pioneers and early settlers and friends of the historic property.
Donations to the foundation will provide a pool of funding with the interest only being used for maintenance of the historic property.
The trust’s three independent, honorary trustees, all well-known Yarra Valley residents and businessmen, were introduced at the meeting.
They were Ian Pollock of Healesville Toyota, Graham Smith of Langbrook Estate and Wild Cattle Creek vineyard in Yarra Junction and Mt Evelyn solicitor Bruce Caldwell.
Mr Pollock paid tribute to the commitment and wonderful work being done by volunteers but said one of the concerns of the Mont De Lancey management was that it was an ageing resource.
“The foundation has been formed to make sure there will always be money available to pay for maintenance when it is needed in the future,” Mr Pollock said.
“It was important to have our local solicitors and accountants along first to learn about the foundation and to establish the credentials of the trustees because people go to them for advice on donations and bequests.”
Mr Pollock said he was honoured to be asked to be a trustee and was pleased to be involved in what he considered to be a soundly based foundation.
“One of the rules is that the capital pool will always remain untouched to ensure the viability of the fund and that it can only be used on Mont De Lancey.
“People who do decide to give money, either by donation or through a bequest, can do so very sound in the knowledge that the money is going to ensure the ongoing success of Mont De Lancey.”
For further information on how to make a donation to the Wandin Heritage Foundation phone 5964 2088. Donations of $2 and more are tax deductible.
