People and cultures boost BRMC stalwart

GEORGINA Vagg was recently described by her friend Dianne McGrath as being, “like a tapestry.”

As a young woman, Mrs Vagg was a ‘Jill of all trades.’ She loved dancing and music, was a champion hurdler and relay runner for the Ballarat Harriers, and held many beauty contest titles including Miss Burrumbeet, Miss Sebastopol, and Miss Learmonth.

Midway through a School of Mines secretarial course, she was hired by the Wendouree Woollen Mill, before shifting to Ballarat’s Victorian Railways station, where she was a teleprinter and Morse code operator.

Mrs Vagg lived in Ross Creek for decades with her late husband John. In the farmhouse kitchen, she discovered a passion for creating food, and sharing it.

“We had sheep, I had pet pigs, chooks for eggs, and I’d milk two cows of a night. I’d make my own butter, which was the best for cooking, and I loved making cakes.

“When the children were at school at Ross Creek, the hall committee would have euchre evenings, and I would take trays of sandwiches and cream cakes,” she said.

“Cooking became my forte and creative expression. I loved baking for people and being with them. That was my hobby and way of helping out.”

Offering help where needed ever since, Mrs Vagg has been named a Zonta Club of Ballarat Great Woman for 2021.

A former tourist guide at Ballarat East’s Old Curiosity Shop, she has always enjoyed the arts, especially the Royal South Street Society Eisteddfod’s National Dance section.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be lovely if Ballarat’s different cultural groups all came together like this? Not long after that, I heard that the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council was forming.

“I was invited to be on the founding steering committee in 1989, and I was with BRMC for almost 30 years, as publicity officer, fundraiser and women’s officer,” Mrs Vagg said.

“I wanted cultural groups to be at home, welcomed, included and valued here.”

Involved with the City of Ballarat’s China Community Committee, she’s a life member of the Chinese Australian Cultural Society of Ballarat, and member of the Filippino Australian Association of Ballarat, sending supplies to the Philippines.

An experienced event coordinator, Mrs Vagg hosted many memorable multicultural fundraisers, gala dinners, balls, dances and trips, helped put together the BRMC recipe book, and held celebrations for children of the local African community.

“I always made functions special. I wanted people to feel special and valued, whatever their background.

“I did it all because I loved meeting people, and those of different cultures. I made so many likeminded friends. BRMC gave me a boost, and we learnt from each other,” she said.

“I just love to help people.”