Thank you to Peter O'Rourke for putting our project in the local Pyrenees Advocate Newspaper.
We had many comments on how well the exhibition was curated and the wonderful exhibition space. Not to mention the beautiful work on display. Both Russell and Sanne gave us a fantastic art exhibition. Thank you to both of you. Thank you to all who supported our event.
We are proud to showcase two of our own Moonambel artists in the upcoming 'Spring into Summer' Art Exhibition & Sale.
Come along to see if you agree with such a wonderful description! Sanne Malkaer started her mosaic career the same year by helping to cover the walls of the Moonambel Recreation Reserve amenities blocks with quirky mosaics...a community event where all locals were invited to 'have a go'. Sanne hasn't stopped 'having a go' and her work is in demand around the region. Sanne's 3D mosaic sculptures can be seen at local Pyrenees art spaces such as the galleries at Avoca and Beaufort. There will also be our traditional market on the Saturday. Check the posters for all the details. Once again we are inviting the community at large to join us at our annual Remembrance Day service. This year, we are privileged to have the Pyrenees Chorale perform for us. We hope to see you there. For the first time in 4 years photographic art came back to Moonambel. On the 12th and 13th November we held a photography competition and exhibition. There were 159 adult entries and 12 entries from children 12 years and under. See you there!
Once again, a Remembrance Day Service will be held at the Moonambel Memorial. Please feel free to join us. We are hoping that people are willing to come out again after enduring quite a long Covid hibernation. This is our first photo competition since 'Capturing Character' in 2018. So here is the flyer calling for entries. If you cannot download the entry form below please contact Jennifer. Her details are on the poster The Children in the Lock-Up Back in 2003, the Moonambel Arts and History community, under the guidance of Jan Curtis and Merri Hogan, embarked on a journey to last 18 years. It was then that the community discovered that the lock-up at the original Moonambel police house was one of only five remaining portable police lock-ups in Victoria. At the time of discovery, it had been used for hay storage and as a chicken coop among other things. In 2003 Moonambel art and history community applied for and received a grant from Victorian Heritage to relocate the lock-up to the Moonambel Common and then restore it. Many years of research accessing original police records and the original Moonambel Police Charge Book from years 1883 to 1914 revealed 53 persons, including three children, were held in the lock-up. Under the guidance of Secretary, Jan Curtis, the research and development of the Historical Police Precinct continued. Original sculptures of the children were created by local artists Merri Hogan and Barry Fox and placed in the lock-up. Over time these had become degraded and derelict. MAHG had taken the plight of the children to their hearts and decided they needed to have new interpretations made. MAHG Secretary, Jennifer MacKay, had seen photos of wire sculptures of ‘ghost soldiers’ in an English churchyard and with the suggestion from Merri Hogan she presented to the MAHG committee the proposal for the new sculptures to be made by Clunes artist Tom Ripon. We assumed that was the end of a very sad story as the children were committed to the Department of Neglected Children. Fortunately, Jennifer continued the story with the help of the Genealogical Society of Victoria. She found a descendant of the eldest child Edith Octive Dean. In finding this, it was also revealed that Edith Octive and Alice Louisa were sisters and the one year old Constance was a half sister. On 20th May, 2021,Tom Ripon, the sculptor, and Eileen Ryan, the descendant, unveiled the sculptures in the lock-up. Eileen, with her sisters, Val and Marion, entertained the crowd with stories the sisters related of their grandmother, Octive (Ollie) and their Aunt Connie. Alice had died at the age of 21. The ladies had no idea of the plight of their grandmother and dear Aunt Connie all those years ago. This was something that was never mentioned and the circumstances of which Eileen is eager to explore. We would like to thank Ann-Maree Richardson of the Genealogical Society of Victoria research team who helped Jennifer to trace the descendant of the eldest child, Edith Octive Dean. Also, we acknowledge the Pyrenees Shire for funding the project. What a torrid time we have had over the last 16 months. All thoughts of an exhibition were put on hold and are still awaiting a safe time to put things into action. So apologies for the length of time between blogs. Although we are in strange times, we have continued with the history aspect of our group by concentrating on the installation of 'The Children in the Lock-Up'. With the help of finance from the Pyrenees Shire, we commissioned international sculptor Tom Ripon to create images of the three children who were detained in the police Lock-Up for their own safety. Hard to believe you would be safer in a dark room with no window and a solid door. But times were harsh in Moonambel in 1896. The lockup has been painted in preparation for the installation. More history on the incident has been discovered and we are hoping to have the formal opening in May. We thank Merri Hogan and Barry Fox for the mannequins which have been in the Lock-Up for some time now. Unfortunately, time has been unkind to the figures and they became quite dilapidated. Hopefully the new figures will stand up to the elements. |
Our website was created December 2012. The History page lists activities from 2003 to 2012.
Coming Events
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