National Trust Heritage Festival and Moonee Ponds Heritage Walks

The National Trust's Heritage Festival is running nationwide through-out April and May, with talks, walks, tours, train trips, exhibitions and all sorts of other events.

For example, the Essendon Historical Society are running a couple of heritage walks in Moonee Ponds. I've done some of their heritage walks in the past, and I highly recommend them as a great way to discover all kinds of historical secrets about the area that you would never guess.

Check out the Heritage Festival program online.

Julia

Anzac Day Talk: On Dangerous Ground: A Gallipolli Story

For our Anzac Day Talk this year Professor Bruce Scates will be discussing his novel On Dangerous Ground at Niddrie Library (Thursday 24th April, 2pm).

This novel explores issues around commemoration and loss emanating from the ill founded military adventure in 1915. It fuses the author’s extensive research and knowledge with imaginative history.

Author Professor Bruce Scates is the Director of the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University. He has led historical tours of the battlefields and commemorative sites of the Great War.

Book online: mooneevalleylibraries.eventbrite.com.au or call 8325 1950.

Julia

Journey to the goldfields: a walk in North Melbourne

Hotham History are hosting a history walk this Saturday in North Melbourne which allows people to Rrtrace the steps of pioneers, follow part of the route they took to the goldfields, and listen to historical stories as they walk through North Melbourne.

Meet at the seats at St Mary Star of the Sea in Victoria St, North Melbourne at 1.50pm.

For more information see the events page of Hotham History website.

And if you are interested in North Melbournian local history check out their page for more.

Julia

Anzac Biscuit tins with a local connection

If you've noticed these commemorative tins of Anzac biscuits around you may be interested to learn that they feature the image of a local soldier. Robert Allan Bunning was born in Kensington and later lived in Moonee Ponds. He is pictured having Christmas Dinner at Mena Camp in Egypt in 1914.

Thanks to Lenore Frost's Empire Called and I Answered blog for sharing this information.

Julia

Do you remember the old Essendon Drill Hall?

Do you have any photographs or stories of the old Essendon Drill Hall?

We have an inquirer who wants pictures or information relating to the history of the Army Drill Hall in Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds. Information about the current building would be welcomed, but we'd especially like to find photos, documents or stories relating to the previous building that stood from 1914 until 1962, which was opened on 17th October 1914 by the Mayor, Cr J Goldsworthy (you can see an article from the time on Trove).

If you can help, please let me know (you can comment below, send me an email using the link to the right, or call/visit Sam Merrifield Library and ask for Julia).

Julia