By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE’S history will be on display until the end of the year, thanks to a generous donation of hundreds of never-before-seen images last week.
On Thursday19 June, Andrew Mackenzie OAM donated 522 historical photographs and postcards to the Healesville and District Historical Society as part of the Greetings from Healesville Project.
The pieces – some of which have never been seen in public – will be shown to the public via a rotating display inside Healesville’s Community Bank branch in the main street.
More than 100 people attended the event at Healesville’s RACV Country Club, where sample images from the collection were on display and community members spoke about the project.
Mr Mackenzie noted that the date of the donation was significant, as it marked the 150th anniversary of the death of Richard Heales – after whom Healesville was named.
He said the images, postcards and wood engravings that made up the donated collection showcase Healesville and the district’s natural beauty and development from a stopping point to the gold fields into a town.
“These provide a fascinating insight into this region of Victoria in the last 150 years,” he said.
Mr Mackenzie said Healesville’s current fame for wine and beer and tourism had been marked from very early times, with gold miners stopping in the town for a drink, and tourists later flocking to the town’s guesthouses.
The guesthouses had such a prominent part in the town’s history, and over 50 images in the donated collection had been dedicated to them.
Yarra Ranges mayor Fiona McAllister spoke on the night, and said that a strong visual history could give later generations a profound link to the past.
“The photos will give us, and generations to come, such a beautiful and meaningful connection with the story of the town – its special places, its special people and maybe even some of its secrets.”
Among those who spoke at the event who thanked Mr Mackenzie for his generous donation were Seymour MP and Eildon candidate Cindy McLeish representing the Premier Denis Napthine, Healesville Community Bank director and independent Eildon candidate Bruce Argyle representing Community Bank chairman Gary Slater,
RACV Healesville manager Mark Lucas and Healesville and District Historical Society president Kevin Mason.
The Greetings from Healesville Project is one of the many community events and exhibitions taking place to commemorate Healesville’s 150th birthday.
For more information on other 150th events, visit www.healesville150.org.
To see the images from the Greetings from Healesville Project, visit the Healesville Community Bank at 205 Maroondah Highway.
