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President’s Report 2024-2025 |
This was a year of consolidation as well as enjoyable activities. At the start of the year the Committee again reviewed the Strategic Plan and developed a Plan of Action for 2024. Many of our goals have been achieved but there are still areas to work on, mainly increasing our numbers of visitors and volunteers. We have continued to meet with other Societies under the Forum, coordinated by Laurel Horton. There have been three meetings this year with valuable exchanges of information. Our latest publication Reluctant Pioneers by Beverley Earnshaw OAM sold out and has been re-printed.
Membership – has remained steady at around 100. Nine new people have joined us, but we also lost valued members Dr Peter Orlovich, who assisted the Society many times as an archivist and was a member of the Geographic Names Board, Bernice Curtis, a founding member and former secretary and Kevin Skelsey, an expert on antiques who we also enjoyed listening to as a speaker.
We had to make the decision at the end of 2024 to increase membership fees to cover costs. Many organisation now only offer on-line newsletters but we are committed to continuing to produce hard copies for those who do not have digital access.
Newsletters – We are always looking for contributors. Beverley Earnshaw is our Editor and researches and writes articles. Other people who have contributed are Claire Baddeley, Jackie Colonelli, Robert McGarn, Phill Scott, Anne Williams, Wendy Agzarian and Gill Whan
Society Trips– This year our trips for members, all meticulously arranged by Helen Gould, were to the newly reopened Lydham Hall for a talk and tour, the Sydney Cricket Ground enjoyed by all, Hyde Park Barracks where we were very impressed with their self-guided displays and Sutherland Historical Society’s Museum to enjoy morning tea and a talk and tour around their new home.
Georges River Council – We have taken up the option of extending the lease on Carss Cottage Museum until December 2026 which will come round all too quickly. There has still been no significant action on maintenance for the Cottage and we are now promised another Heritage Assessment with a view to applying for a Heritage Grant. The letter from the General Manager also thanked the Society for the work it does in caring for the Cottage. Minor maintenance has been forthcoming. The demolition of the Carss Park pool resulted in the sewerage line to the Cottage being cut and a portable toilet being installed outside until the problem was rectified.
Our submission in 2024 to remain on the Seniors Reference Group which entitles us to use the School of Arts without charge was successful but there will be another review this coming year. The President has attended the meetings, the most recent one had an excellent workshop on Palliative Care. Glynn Pulling who represents us on the Seniors Advisory Group has attended all their meetings and kept us informed on the issues raised and discussed. These range from Council’s Social Justice Strategy, protection of the identity of children, people with disabilities and issues around dementia.
The Society had a stall at the recent Senior’s Expo organised by Council and held in both Marana Hall and the Civic Theatre. The range of different organisations offering support in many areas and others offering activities was impressive. We talked about the Society and handed out brochures and our program of events to numbers of people visiting, many of Chinese origin, the Carss Park leaflet translated into Mandarin was very popular. We connected with other stall holders and exchanged information, all in all a worthwhile day (and there was a mobile coffee van with free coffee!)
We successfully nominated Elizabeth Corry for a blue plaque which has been installed on Elizabeth Corry Reserve. Each year Council invites nominations and chooses five to receive a plaque.
Kathryn Landsberry has been our patron now for two years and has supported all our major events. She was re-elected in the November 2024 Council elections together with Natalie Mort (another great supporter) and Oliver Dimoski for Blakehurst Ward.
Grants – Thanks to a grant from Museums and Galleries NSW under the Lights on, Doors Open Stipend Program we were able to balance our budget this year. The grant of $2000 could be used for recurrent expenditure which was unusual but very welcome. Where possible we look for grants to support projects and have just applied to Georges River Council for a grant to purchase another display case for the Museum. We also received a Volunteers Grant of $1000 from the Dept of Social Services applied for through the Cook electoral office. We purchased a new printer/copier for the Museum which is proving to be very useful.
The Museum – This is always a source of pride. Wendy Agzarian continues to improve the displays and Neil Gould has been tireless and spent many hours in photographing and finding information for the new Cottage Website which we launch today.
Laurel Horton went through the Cottage library and in consultation with a working group decided on which books to de-accession. She has now re-organised and clearly labelled our books under categories and they are much more accessible.
Laurel and Wendy Agzarian also set up our new exhibition on ‘education in the early days’ called School Ways, School Days, supplying many of the items themselves. We entered it for an Imagine Award, unsuccessfully, but it meant our name and the exhibition received publicity. Jim Gainsford wrote an excellent article on it for the Leader.
We collaborated with Hurstville Museum & Gallery to put on an event with the Artist in Residence. Participants had a talk at the Artist’s residence and then came to the Museum for one of our special morning teas and a tour.
During 2024, under the Electoral redistribution, Carss Park became part of the Federal electorate of Banks. David Coleman is the Member and has already visited the Museum and invited us to contribute something on the Society for his monthly newsletter.
We ran a very successful Open Day to mark History Week in September 2024 and are currently planning another for April.
Volunteers have been very generous in donating their time to talk to or show groups around the Museum. We had visits from Mortdale Primary School (104 children), St Raphaels school, two visits from groups with Activist Transport, St George Community Transport, Balmain Probus Club, Care Gateway Benevolent Society and Community Wheels Parramatta..
Apart from members of the Committee, people who have donated their time at the Museum include Miryam and Niver Rodriguez, Bob Horton, Cheryl Bell, Jackie Colonelli, Fiona Johnstone, Barbara Kibble, Merlene Carr, Janice Latham and Margaret James.
Mondays at the Museum continued to attract good audiences, Speakers were, Ralph Scrivens, Bush poet, Beverley Earnshaw OAM on The Sunday School Movement (a record crowd came), Bruce Watts about his book Curious Eyes, Annette Ruhotas on The Australian Red Cross and Christine Yeats on Crimes and Misdemeanours in the St George Area.
School of Arts – Meeting attendances have been consistently over 30 which is excellent. Our home cooked afternoon teas have become legendary. Robert McGarn, Glynn Pulling, Niver Rodriguez & Neil Gould, our technical expert, prepare the hall. Miryam Rodriguez welcomes visitors and afternoon teas are served by a number of people, mainly Pat Young, Helen Gould and Laurel Horton. Other people assist at big events – Merlene Carr, Judy Reynolds & Barbara Kibble come to mind (I will have left out someone), they are all much appreciated. Our speakers were Dr Virginia Furner, Florence Nightingale; Christine Hill, The Journey of Tom Thumb II; Garry Darby, The Chinese Market Gardens at Kogarah; Martin Treloyn, Australia’s Aviation Icon, The Southern Cross; Lt Col Christopher Holcroft OAM, The History of Australian War Correspondents; Claire Baddeley, The Curious Case of Captain James’ Ostrich Farm; Laurel & Bob Horton, The History of Rockdale & Kogarah and Kez Hasanic on The Lusitania Disaster.
The Committee – they make Committee meetings something to look forward to. They all take a turn on the Museum roster for Sundays. Adele Ryan continues to look after publicity, membership and MAM; Anne Williams deals with our finances and is smiling this year because we balanced the budget; Laurel Horton is a superwoman, she does so many things and Beverley Earnshaw has again produced our excellent newsletters. Helen Gould organises your Society trips, Pat Young sends out the newsletters and we rely on Glynn Pulling for many practical jobs and Robert McGarn to take minutes and often represent us at different functions. Wendy Agzarian organises Museum tours as well as displays and cataloguing. Elaine Filewood has attended meetings when she can despite her challenging health problems. Fred Scott runs the Society website and Neil Gould has developed a website for Carss Cottage Museum. I thank them both and all the Committee who are incredibly generous with their time and friendship.
This is my last meeting as President and I have enjoyed my time in that role. We know by attendances that you enjoy the meetings and newsletters but please, I urge you to do what you can to bring in new people which will ensure the Society continues and flourishes. Thank you for your support and friendship over the last five years – I wish you all and the Society success and happiness in the future.
Gill Whan
March 2025