Publications
  | The Bellarine Historical Society holds a range of books and articles that are relevant to the history of the Bellarine. These publications are most helpful for research or learning more about family history and understanding the development of the area. Recent Books Available at the Courthouse Museum Griggs Creek: Its Forgotten History, 2024 by Ann Hodgkinson and Diane Kolomeitz The Bellarine Suburbs of Curlewis and Clifton Springs lie either side of Griggs Creek on what was once the important farming property of Greenvale. This book recounts the struggles of the Williamson and Grigg families to retain ownership through drought, depression and acquisition for closer settlement. They also played significant roles in the Geelong Football Club and The Australian Flax industry. The story of this one property is a microcosm of the history of the Bellarine. Bellarine Memories: The stories of twelve Bellarine Women, 2023, by Diane Kolomeitz This book explores the lives of twelve female residents who have lived on the Bellarine for many years. Their stories were collected in one-on-one interviews and compiled for the Bellarine Historical Society during 2022-23. Bellarine Women and the 1891 Suffrage Petition, 2022, by Lorraine Stokes Victorian women only got the vote in 1908 after a long campaign. As part of their struggle, over 30,000 women signed the suffrage petition, now immortalised as a sculpture in the Parliamentary precinct. This book tells the stories of the 100 Bellarine women who participated in this process at a time when women were almost invisible in the public records. This book brings that event and these women to life. The Bellarine .... via Ramblers Road: People and Stories of the Bellarine Peninsula, 2005, Rick Wilkinson The Society has obtained several boxes of this book from the National Trust's Old Mill at Portarlington. It is a good source of stories and photographs of people and places on the Bellarine. A travel guide where you can use Rick's journeys through the Peninsula to guide your own discovery of its secrets while noting the new developments which have occurred since this was written. NEW STOCKS AVAILABLE - The following iconic local histories have been reprinted: Balla-wein: A History of the Shire of Bellarine to 1993, Ian Wynd, 2005. Little of Interest? St. Leonards, Peter Munster, 2013. The Waterholes: A History of Drysdale on the Bellarine, Lynette Willey, 2011. Call in and inspect the full range of publications available and speak to one of our members on duty for friendly and helpful advice about selection. Or you can order online by completing the attached form and emailing it to info@bellarinehistory.org. Publications List 2024 |
Digital Short Stories
The Grand Hotel, Portarlington.
The Grand Hotel, commissioned in 1887, was the largest of three hotels in Portarlington designed in the exuberant 'Boom Style'. It consisted of three stories containing 54 rooms and a lookout tower with commanding views over the sea. However, just after completion, it was sold at auction in November 1888 for 8,300 pounds. It was the site of one of the great mysteries of the Bellarine, the death of Mary Anderson in December 1900.
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The Saga of the Clipper Ship 'Lightening'
The Clipper Ship 'Lightening', built in 1854 in Boston, USA, was commissioned to carry passengers and cargo during the Gold Rushes. Infamously, she brought rabbits to Australia on behalf of Thomas Austin, Barwon Park, Winchelsea. While docked in Geelong in 1869, fully laden, she caught fire. Towed to the shoals in Corio Bay, she sank loosing all cargo.
The American clipper ship LIGHTNING was a 3 masted, fully rigged extreme clipper ship; 3175.15 tonnes (3,500 tons) burthen, she was 74.37m (244ft) long, with a beam of 13.4m (44ft) and a depth of 7m (23ft).
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2024 Annual General Meeting.
Read the 2024 Presidents Report here.
FLY ON THE WALL
"Fly On The Wall" has returned to the Old Courthouse Museum, Drysdale. The Bellarine Historical Society, in collaboration with Port Arts Network, will hold an afternoon of storytelling, short historical-fiction stories and poems written by members of local writing groups. These stories will be read by the authors themselves.
Writers Retreat.
The Courthouse Museum in Drysdale functions as a ‘writers’ retreat’ drop in space for the last Friday of each month 11am -3pm. 
This event attracts writers to come along to write and/or mix and meet with other writers on a very casual basis.
For more information contact banjo3223@bigpond.com
Grants & Sponsorship
Support for the Bellarine Lives Exhibition has been received from:
Anonymous Doner: Donation to provide new display posters for the back wall of the Courthouse.
Member's Donation - carpeting of the Shire Office room.
Bendigo Bank: Grant for the Photo Wall in the Shire Office Room
Libby Coker, Federal Member for Corangamite though the Department of Social Services, Volunteer Grant Program to support a volunteers training day on establishing Social History Exhibitions, and other services.
Volunteers
A big thank you to the wonderful volunteers who have spent thousands of hours behind the scenes undertaking photo restoration, data entry, research, cataloguing and cleaning. Without your help the society would not be able to operate. If you would like to help, we always welcome new volunteers.
