Vic: Plea for Marysville history to be returned

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2009
Vic: Plea for Marysville history to be returned

By Catherine Best

MARYSVILLE, Vic, April 15 AAP - Marysville's bushfire survivors are appealing for photos
and other memorabilia as the town tries to reclaim its history.

Virtually all records and artefacts kept by the Marysville Historical Society were
destroyed when bushfires roared through the 144-year-old town on Black Saturday.

The Victorian and federal governments have announced $4.5 million to help restore the
historical collections of bushfire devastated communities and document the February 7
disaster.

But many of Marysville's most prized relics have been lost forever, including a portrait
of the town's namesake, Mary Stevenson, painted in Paris when she was 18.

"The sadness is in the irreplaceable things," said Mary Kenealy, the secretary of the
Marysville Historical Society.

"People keep talking to me, 'Mary aren't you lucky to be alive?'. Well I've corrected
that statement - no we are lucky to survive.

"The things that made us alive are gone and part of that was our interest in history
and our love of history and our devotion to the collection.

"The loss of this has hit me more than the loss of our home."

Marysville was a popular honeymoon destination and the townsfolk are imploring Australians
to leaf through their family albums for old photos of the mountain town and any other
memorabilia.

Victorian Premier John Brumby flagged government support for a building to house the
relics when they start arriving.

"I'm sure that from around Australia, as this call goes out, there will be people who
lived in Marysville before ... they've taken with them photos and memorabilia and it will
be, I think, really important to get some of that memorabilia and photographs and historical
records back into the town so that the history can be rewritten there again."

Federal parliamentary secretary for the bushfire reconstruction Bill Shorten said he
hoped Marysville's rich history could be resurrected in time for its 150th anniversary
celebrations.

He also urged Australians with any connection to Marysville to see what treasures they
might hold.

"It's got a future but of course for every future you need to make sure that you keep
hold of some of your past," Mr Shorten said.

Some of the $4.5 million will also go towards restoring community spaces, newsletters
and recreation and entertainment activities.

In a separate joint funding announcement, $200,000 will go towards restoring the Marysville
Golf and Bowling Club, which has been the community hub after it was all-but destroyed
in Australia's worst bushfire disaster.

AAP cmb/bd/tnf

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC HISTORY

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