Reg and Mary Kenealy of the Marysville and District Historical Society are looking forward to the sneak peak of the society’s new collection.
By Kath Gannaway
AN OLD iron bed creates an impressive centrepiece for the yesteryear bedroom at the new home of the Marysville and District Historical Society.
It was discovered under the house owned by Michael Darmody which, having survived the 2009 bushfires, is now home to a new collection of Marysville history.
Mr Darmody’s father owned the Carlisle Guest House, where the Marysville bakery is. The bedhead was from the guest house … if only it could talk!
“It was just a wonderful, unexpected find,” said M&DHS secretary Mary Kenealy who admits to being in tears, of joy and sadness, many, many times over the past two and a half years.
The society lost its entire collection on Black Saturday but the surprising thing about the new collection is that so much of it is authentic Marysville artefacts.
When the society put out a call for help to rebuild the collection it was met with an outpouring of generosity with thousands of photos, postcards, artwork, souvenirs, books, documents and other artefacts pouring in from around Australia and the world.
Though the displays are not quite complete, the society is opening its doors this week for History Week, and for the Sparkling Wine Festival which runs from 28 October to 1 November.
Mrs Kenealy said many people ask how things are going and the “sneak preview” will be a great opportunity for locals and visitors to call in and see how wonderful the new collection is.
“There is much to enjoy,” Mrs Kenealy said.
“Art lovers will enjoy our art and photographic galleries in particular.”
The sneak peak at the society’s as yet unfinished, but beautifully presented and uplifting collection will reinforce that Marysville’s colourful history lives on and is in good hands.
The Marysville and District Historical Society is situated at 39 Darwin Street, Marysville.
