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‘Making Tracks’ Railway Exhibition Opens Monday A major exhibition celebrating 150 years of Victorian railway history, opens on Monday in the Latrobe City Council Chamber and Function Room at the civic precinct in Kay Street Traralgon. Entry will be free. By news@gippsland - 8th July 2005 - Back to News Developed by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV), the exhibition is travelling state-wide to celebrate 150 years since the first line was opened between Melbourne and Sandridge.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Bruce Lougheed, said Council will be hosting the exhibition and working directly with local historical societies to ensure that the exhibition has a Gippsland flavour.
Cr Lougheed is a former signalman with the Victorian railways and a railways memorabilia enthusiast himself.
"The exhibition covers Victoria’s railway history through stories, events and pictures, showcasing the remarkable history of railways. It is further enhanced by a collection of historical equipment, artefacts, train displays and local stories gathered by Gippsland historical societies throughout this region," Cr Lougheed explained.
"The railways made an enormous impact on establishing and servicing our region. There was not just the main line stretching from Melbourne to Orbost that opened up Gippsland, but at one stage there were numerous branch lines spreading north and south of the Latrobe Valley.
"Local lines ran from Moe through Narracan to Thorpdale; from Morwell through Yinnar and Boolarra to Mirboo North; from Moe through Moondarra and Erica to Walhalla; and from Traralgon through Glengarry and Toongabbie to link with the main line again at Stratford.
"The exhibition will feature lots of visual material about state and local railways gathered from numerous sources. People who now live close to where the old lines once ran will be able to imagine how it might have felt living in their local neighbourhood in days when steam trains used to pass. For some older residents it will bring back some wonderful nostalgic memories," Cr Lougheed said.
Project manager for the ‘Making Tracks’ exhibition, Louisa Scott, said that visitors to the exhibition are encouraged to become involved by contributing their own personal stories to the ‘Making Tracks Memory Album’. "The album will become a permanent record of what the railways have meant to us all," Ms Scott said.
Gippsland advisor to the RHSV and Traralgon Historical Society President, Jim Hood, explained that while much of the exhibition featured material from all over Victoria, a special panel has been added to the exhibition to feature Gippsland’s role as one of Victoria’s important railway centres.
"The exhibition truly brings to life the history of railway in Victoria with amazing photographs and fascinating objects from private and historical society collections," Mr Hood said.
"The exhibition allows visitors to step back in time and experience Victoria’s history through visual displays and from interesting stories from the past. It will be a must for young and old in our community, Mr Hood said.
‘Making Tracks’ will run from Monday 11 July until Sunday 28 August 2005. It will be open daily from 9am to 5pm. Entry is free.
Media Enquiries:
Cr. Bruce Lougheed, Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0429 172 237
Cr. Darrell White, Deputy Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 377 645
Jim Hood, President, Traralgon Historical Society on 5174 3794
Louisa Scott, Project Manager Making Tracks, RHSV on 0412 977 768 or by email louisafscott@hotmail.com
Paul Buckley, Chief Executive Officer,
tel. 5128 5413 or 0418 512 997
Jeremy Bein, Public Relations and Communications Officer,
tel. 5128 5458 or 0407 862 977
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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