Postcards: Stories From The Mornington Peninsula – 7th and 8th of June

Paddlesteamers at Sorrento

The deliciously deep rumble of a Harley Davidson motor bike opens the audio visual presentation for this fascinating exhibition which tells eight really different stories from around the Mornington Peninsula. What have Harleys to do with Balnarring ‘s history? The answer is here in this exhibition.

It has taken three years’ work to finally see this excellent collaborative effort come to fruition in the display now at the Sorrento Museum. As you can imagine co-ordinating eight groups takes patience and time. We are fortunate on the Peninsula in that our Shire funds a part time Local History Co-ordinator. Sally Robins works hard to keep communication and ideas flowing between all historical societies in our network.

Pauline Powell from Rye HS, Martin Dixon MLA for Nepean and Minister for Education, Assoc. Prof. Don Garden, President of the RHSV and Mayor Antonelli Celi viewing the Rye Foreshore exhibit prepared by Rye HS

Of course numerous grants were needed to enable the hiring of Project Curator Dr.Megan Cardamone who initially worked with each Society to select the story and artefacts they would use. Given that this exhibition is designed to travel around Victoria and that postcards are synonymous with travel, suitcases were the designer’s natural choice for the display. Clever eh?

Museum Consultant, Georgia Rouette co-ordinated the setting up of the suitcases and their precious artefacts. When volunteers from the eight Societies delivered their objects on a cold Sorrento morning we knew it was really going to happen at last. It was a learning experience for us all as we worked with Georgia to arrange the room and each suitcase. We chatted and learnt about the challenges that all our small community museums face. The group interview we did for our Peninsula radio rppfm 98.7 was fun.

Opening Day for the official guests was exciting but the best day was the next – Community Free Entry day. We all lost track after the first 111 people entered to see the exhibition and we served endless cups of tea and cake. Visitors from all over the Peninsula told us how much they loved the display and video with its scenes and interviews about early days fishing at Rye, staying at Flinders beautiful guest house St Andrews, working in the orchards at Somerville, travelling to Sorrento by ferry and so on. They wanted to watch the whole 40 minutes! Some played croquet in the gardens adjoining the museum with the terrific team from Portsea/Sorrento Croquet.

Community Fun at the Exhibition

People from Melbourne said they had no idea about the depth of the history of the Peninsula and would be visiting the other great little museums we have here. We hope they do – Balnarring, Hastings, Dromana, Flinders, Mornington, Rye, Somerville and Sorrento are waiting for you.

So it was worth all that hard work – and there is an education kit for schools and teachers resources too.

• The exhibition will be at Sorrento Museum until August 17
• Frankston Library 8 Sept to 5 October,
• Mornington Library 11 October to 16 November
• Coolart Wetlands 22 November to Jan 2015
• Royal Historical Society 2 February to 9 March 2015

Joy Kitch – Exhibits Coordinator