Theme: Youth Service Month
Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster:
22/4/2018 – 5/5/2018: Noel Emselle, 6/5/2018 – 19/5/2018: Rod Greer,
20/5/2018 – 2/6/2018: Alan Keyse, 3/6/2018 – 16/6/2018: James Ricchini,
17/6/2018 – 30/6/2018: Adrian Schmidt
Report of Meeting: 1/5/2018
Guests: Rob Morphett from RC of Euroa and Neil Tampleton from RC of Rutherglen. Neil plans to join our club shortly.
President: Leggo Brick Display at Queenscliff will be held over the June long weekend, 10th& 11th. Volunteers to help RI Queenscliff would be most welcome. A list will be circulated.
- Vic has Bowel Scan Kits for purchase.
- Members of Dick Clay’s team for cooking the breakfast after the Dawn Service on Anzac Day were thanked and congratulated for their sterling efforts. At least 200 serves were provided. $120.50 was collected. Please note that Pretty’s meats donated the Bacon and eggs.
Secretary: The District Assembly held at Ararat on 29/4/2018 was most enlightening to the seven members who attended.
- Forms needing updating were distributed. Please complete these and return to Pearl
Health: Rod Bush will have his surgery next week. The thoughts of the Club members go with him.
Foundation: The Centurian program will be finalized soon. See Vic if you wish to donate $100 to this very worthwhile annual giving appeal.
Social:
- 19/5/2018 - Car Rally. TBC!
Youth: An applicant who has applied to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra has been interviewed. The Club will recommend he attend further interviews.
Footy Tipping: Alex would be VERY pleased if those who have not paid him would do so ASAP. Geoff Chandler is in the lead, ‘Coogs’ won this week and Coral won last week.
Guest Speaker: John Wynn. “History of Ocean Grove.”
The area originally formed part of the land of the Wutherrong indigenous people, supporting 23 different mobs. It was with these people that an escaped convict William Buckley lived for 33 years, learning their survival skills and language. When he rejoined white society he acted as an interpreter.
The creation of Ocean Grove Township was unlike any other in that it was a private subdivision based on the Wesleyan Camp Meeting concept. The first land sales occurred in late 1887 and 1888. The name comes from a town of the same name in New Jersey, USA. This town also grew from Episcopalian religious principles and endeavours and named by the founder William Bramwell Osbourne because there was a beach, a grove and the place ‘freest of mosquitoes’ (he was obviously not here in our busy mosquito season.) A similar restriction that existed in the New Jersey town of some activities was placed through a covenant on the new settlement; ‘the settlement is started to meet a long felt want, that is where recreation and religious exercises may be obtained without being near the undesirable influences and surroundings of the liquor traffic: the settlement being founded on strictly temperance principles.’ (Oakleigh Leader and district Record: A Trip to Ocean Grove, 1887 p4.)
By 1888 the streets had been surveyed, in total there were some 2500 blocks available but purchase of land was slow and by 1890 there were only 30-40 houses erected. The Improvement Association formed in the same year by lot holders and local residents pushed for building of suitably constructed roads that were gazette in the town records. This Association instigated the still held tradition of the townsfolk getting on and helping themselves. Baths were built on the river, accommodation for visitors was built and a fleet of ‘couta’ boats was berthed here. Most of the building was done using timber; unfortunately most have succumbed to weather conditions and white ants.
In 1910 the Telephone Exchange opened; and by 1930 there were only four subscribers. (They were waiting for the advent of social media.) The area was taken over by the Army during WW1.
By 1923 progress was not meeting expectations and 553 blocks were sold as rates had not been paid and the forced sale could have been the impetus for the final establishment of the town.
1924: Electric lighting was switched on and in 1927 the Barwon Heads Bridge was finally opened much to the chagrin of the fishermen. The erection of the bridge meant roads improved, traffic increased and the land value increased.
Water was laid in 1932. The beach was closed during WW2, heavily guarded and used as training camps for Army and Air Force.
1940s and 1950s saw a period of rapid growth and by 1954 the population was 3000 swelling to 6000 in the holiday season. In 1957 a Post Office was officially established and by 1958 there were 239 telephone subscribers. With the development of major industry and post war hardship in Europe the population exploded, mainly through settlement of immigrants who continue to make great contributions to the community through their descendants.
Ocean Grove was formally proclaimed a town in 1958 with much celebration and satisfaction.
Thanks to John Wynn for most of this information and recording of the place where we enjoy living.
APOLOGIES ARE NECESSARY! IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING. THOSE WHO DO NOT CONFORM WILL BE SENT A BILL, AS THE CLUB HAS TO PAY IF NO APOLOGY IS REGISTERED.
Thank you: A George
