Carlton great had Mount Gambier link
October 5, 2008
A controversial former Carlton player with Mount Gambier connections is the subject of a new book being written by Tasmanian Craig Mackie.
Mackie wrote to The Border Watch saying William Alexander Lang, known as Alex or “Bongo”, married a Mount Gambier woman Catherine McVicar on Feburary 15, 1937. Read more
High school centenary celebrated
September 22, 2008
Mount Gambier High School celebrated its centenary on the weekend with an open day and a reunion dance. Read more
Merrett family reunion
August 25, 2008
The descendants of William and Mary Ann Merrett will gather for a reunion at the Nhill Racecourse on November 1-2, 2008.
This will be the first time in 31 years that all 10 branches of the Merrett family have come together. The first reunion was held in Bordertown in 1977. Read more
Cemetery tour gives insight
August 14, 2008
Family historians recently toured the “old” Millicent Cemetery to hear interesting stories of the past.
The 90-minute tour was part of National Family History Week and was arranged by the Millicent-based South East Family History Group. Read more
Researching Max Harris
August 13, 2008
A Melbourne researcher is hoping to speak with anyone who may have gone to school with Max Harris in the 1920s or who knows anything about his childhood. Read more
Admella 150th commemorations begin
August 7, 2008
Kongorong Primary, Allendale East Area School and Mount Gambier’s McDonald Park School have begun holding special Admella 150 Festival “lead-in” functions ahead of next year’s special commemoration program.
The first special gathering was held on Wednesday at Kongorong Primary School, the school nearest to where the SS Admella tragically hit Carpenter’s Reef. Read more
Heritage submissions received
July 11, 2008
Submissions sent to City Council as part of the Mount Gambier Heritage Survey Review 2007 public consultation process have now all been received.
About 2000 letters were sent out to all owners and occupiers of properties and trees which were identified within the survey, inviting them to comment. Read more
Historic photos wanted of Bellum Hotel
June 27, 2008
The owners of the Bellum Hotel near Mount Schank are seeking historical photographs of the popular watering hole and restaurant.
Simon Livingston and Lisa Edwards will soon be renovating the hotel and want to showcase its heritage.
The Bellum Hotel was first built by Ms Edwards’ great-great grandfather in 1866. Read more
Boomerang memories come back
June 19, 2008
Hans van Schaik, founder of Bio Gro, discovered the oldest boomerangs in the world at Wyrie Swamp, a large peat bog near Millicent in the early 1970s.
While in hospital suffering from a kidney stone in 1975, Mr Van Schaik, who owned Wyrie Swamp, shared a room with archeologist Roger Leubbers and told him about the boomerangs he had found while operating his quarry.
“I kept finding these old wooden boomerangs in the soil around the place and because they were so fragile, I preserved them in glass jars,” Mr Van Schaik recalled.
“I knew they were old, but everyone said they were perhaps just pieces of wood that looked like boomerangs.
“I had no idea what to do with them until I landed next to an archeologist in hospital and told him what I had found,” he said. Read more
Preserving Port MacDonnell’s heritage
March 23, 2008

The Recognition of Port MacDonnell & District Pioneers Committee is collating and recording the cultural history of Port MacDonnell and District in an effort to recognise the important contribution made by the pioneers of the past and bringing their achievements to life.
Descendants from pioneering families and community members are invited to provide information, articles or artefacts about people whom they consider have contributed in some way to the cultural history of the Port MacDonnell & District area. Read more



