By Dongyun Kwon
Yarra Glen and District History Group (YGDHG) has made a hard decision to close down the group.
YGDHG, formerly named Yarra Glen and District Historical Society Incorporated, was formed in 1973.
After over 50 years of operation, the group reached a point where the hard decision was inevitably made, as only three members remained.
“Once upon a time, people came and asked for information from us but now they use the Internet to search for information,” YGDHG president Kevin Heeley said.
“It’s difficult to get people to contribute to organisations these days.”
The group was central to local history, not only providing relevant historical data to people who had enquiries but also helping people to find their families in Yarra Glen and surrounding areas.
It also provided data and photographs to the Yarra Ranges Council (YRC) when the council hosted a history-related event or exhibition.
Longtime group member Helen Mann was instrumental in setting up a website called The Encyclopedia of Yarra Glen and District.
Its value is that it could be amended and added to over time, unlike print materials.
Another longtime group member Jill Sheffield said the group also helped YRC install storyboards around the town and along the Yarra River.
The Yarra Glen and District Historical Society also published books and papers, and mounted supportive exhibitions of photographs and information for the Yarra Glen RSL on Anzac Day and at special events for other organisations.
“Since 2007, we have been able to rent this room (in the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall) and that’s when we started to open this room on a Wednesday afternoon during school terms for anyone to come in who had a query,” Ms Sheffield said.
The group also printed calendars each year with different themes for a long time.
“For the 2017 edition, the theme was sports and it included photos of the racecourse and local sports clubs,’ Ms Sheffield said.
“The last edition was printed in 2019 with the theme of Yarra Glen Primary School with various historical photos of the school.”
Due to the drop in membership, the Yarra Glen Historical Society Incorporated was unable to meet the criteria keeping it as incorporated.
Right before the Covid pandemic, it became unincorporated and changed its name to Yarra Glen History Group and became part of the Yarra Glen and District Living and Learning Centre.
The president said the group suffered from the increasing financial constraints, which also affected their decision.
“When we lease this room (in the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall) from the shire, it only costs a few hundred dollars a year, but that lease requires us to pay the contents insurance, which has soared over the last few years,” Mr Heeley said.
“You have to have a membership big enough to create enough income to be able to pay for the room and for the insurance to cover.
“There are not many ways to raise funds for historical societies. You need to run exhibitions or talks and sell things but there are not many things you can sell.”
The group has been in touch with the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, discussing the best way to distribute their collection of artifacts, printed materials and other items they have.
