By Michael Doran
The first European settler at Dixons Creek, John Dickson, is the subject of a Yarra Glen and District Historical Society presentation.
Local historian Irene Kearsley will cover Gulf Station’s early history, from John Dickson onwards, at the society’s annual Tetlow Talk on Sunday 14 October at 1.30pm.
“A lot is known about Gulf Station but there is not much that can be found out about John Dickson,” society secretary Helen Mann said.
“Irene’s talk will give us a picture of who John Dickson was and the early history of how Gulf Station came about. It will be the first time we have focussed on John Dickson, not just those who followed him at Gulf Station”
Dickson arrived in the district about 1843 and took up the original lease on land north of the Yarra in the areas now known as Steels and Dixons creeks.
His five children were born at Gulf Station, which he sold in 1854 before moving to Kangaroo Ground.
Eric Tetlow was Yarra Glen and District Historical Society (YGDHS) treasurer from 1973 to 2000 and secretary from then until his passing in 2009.
The annual talk is named in his honour due to his 36 years of tireless efforts to keep the Yarra Glen district’s history alive.
The society is at the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall and opens on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30pm to 4pm.
“As the local historical society we are really an archive for the community, but getting that history down will always be a work in progress,” Ms Mann said.
“We have an online encyclopaedia that can be added to, so we are continually building the history of Yarra Glen and surrounding districts.”
The society is increasingly turning to digital media to record history and Ms Mann said they needed to recruit some volunteers with skills in those areas.
“We have tape recordings that are so old they fall apart when we try to play them, so getting things digitised is vital for their preservation.”
An afternoon tea will follow the talk at the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall. A gold coin donation is requested.
Details are available from Ms Mann on 0429 006 152 or yarraglenhistorical@live.com.au.
