Gosford mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna launched a Heritage Photo Exhibition at the Davistown Progress Hall on March 2.
“We were happy to fund a Community Development grant such as this one which aimed to build local Davistown residents’ knowledge, and ‘a sense of place’ about their area, its people, past and present day activities,” Cr McKinna said.
The aim of the project was to build relationships and grassroots support as the project team sourced Davistown’s local photo history and information from the local community, council’s local library history studies office and the broader community.
“I wonder how many people knew that the waterfront of Davistown was the venue for not only boat building and races but horseraces,” Cr McKinna said. Project coordinator and grant writer, Ms Jenny McCulla said that Davistown had a very rich history as one of the first areas where wooden boat and ship building took place in the early colonial days of Australia.”
“Key information was gathered by promoting requests for old Davistown photos in local papers by Davistown Progress Association (DPA) members, such as long-term president, Mr Arthur Stanley and former secretary, Ms Gay McGlinn,” Ms McCulla said.
“Other pioneer family information came from lifelong Davistown residents, such as Mr Ian Davis, fourth grandson of one of the most prolific Davistown ship builders of colonial times, Rock Davis,” she said. Members of the shipbuilding Settree family, the Wulf, Woodbury and Wales families added to local knowledge as they shared their personal family photos and colourful stories.
Others were encouraged to come forward with family photos by publicity in school newsletters, placing flyers and advertisements locally in the local Davistown and Saratoga shops and on Facebook pages. Other information was confirmed by referencing The History of Shipbuilders of Brisbane Water NSW by author Ms Gwen Dundon.
Ms McCulla said that Mr Geoffrey Potter, the local studies librarian and Gosford Library, were integral to the project by loaning many images from council’s collection, previously donated by Davistown families for safekeeping.
“This exhibition is a way of sharing the final results of a worthwhile project which has already helped to create a sense of ownership and belonging for all those who’ve been involved in supplying information, as well as the DPA team who helped put the exhibition and launch together,” she said.
“We hope this permanent display of well-framed photographs, a poster and a slide show will have a high social return, as a new resource for the local and broader Central Coast community, NSW heritage and maritime groups, history students, and Central Coast school groups,” Ms McCulla concluded.
Email, March 3, 2016 Jenny McCulla, Davistown Progress Association