Yarra Ranges Heritage Network has taken home an award for its Power and the People: 150 Years of Local Government exhibition, at last nights 2022 Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards at the State Library of Victoria.
The exhibition won the Archival Survival Award for volunteer-run organisations, and was accepted by Chair of Yarra Ranges Heritage Network, Sue Thompson.
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of local government in the Yarra Ranges, the exhibition focuses on celebrating the partnership between Council and the community, rather than the history of Council itself.
Each of the 18 groups involved in the network selected one example from their community to highlight how this partnership has helped create facilities and services that we enjoy today.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Jim Child, said it was a fitting reward for all the hard work that local volunteer organisations do in capturing and preserving the history of its community.
"This is wonderful recognition for not only the exhibition but the dedication and passion that each of these local community groups have for the history of their communities," Cr Child said.
"This is a testament to the power of collaboration between community and Council to produce great outcomes, which fittingly enough is the theme of the exhibition itself."
"All community organisations involved in this exhibition should be incredibly proud of their efforts and I encourage everyone to stop by the Civic Centre in Lilydale to check out some of their work."
The exhibition can be seen at the Civic Centre in Lilydale until 23 February 2023, until it moves to the Burrinja Cultural Centre from 27 February - 3 April.
Participating groups in this exhibition include Friends and Relations of Gulf Station; Healesville and District Historical Society; History Group, Yarra Glen and District Living and Learning Centre History Group; Lilydale & District Historical Society; Monbulk Historical Society; Mont De Lancey Historic Homestead; Mooroolbark History Group; Mount Dandenong and District Historical Society; Mount Evelyn History Group; National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Dandenong Ranges Branch; Oonah Learning Centre; Healesville, Running Rabbits Military Museum; Save the Dandenongs League; Sherbrooke Foothills Historical Society; Southern Sherbrooke Historical Society; Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society; Yarra Ranges Regional Museum; and Yarra Valley Italian Cultural Group.
To learn about these groups and more, please visit https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/The-Arts/Our-creative-community/Guide-to-Heritage-in-the-Yarra-Ranges.
Power and the People was supported by Yarra Ranges Council's Grants for Community program.
