City looks to manage $28 million heritage collection
National Wool Museum director Padraic Fisher (left) holding a cloth sample of an opera cloak made from merino wool in 1816 and a handmade tattoo pen that was confiscated from an inmate at the Old Geelong Goal, and Cr Trent Sullivan with some shears from the 1920s.
THE City of Greater Geelong is encouraging the community to return any arts and heritage items that may belong to the city or its former legal entities.
Councillors resolved at their meeting last week to accept a strategic report about the use and management of the council’s 12,000 moveable artworks, objects and artefacts.
The Our Heritage, Our Collection report estimates the city’s collection to be worth about $28 million. In addition to internal and external stakeholders, the community was consulted in the creation of the plan through workshops and an online survey.
Much of the feedback received was people wanting to see more objects reflecting the area’s diversity collected and displayed.
City of Greater Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said the report would ensure residents got the most out of the city’s collection.
“The City is lucky to own such a significant and varied collection of works, that reflect different times in Greater Geelong’s history.
“The ‘Our Heritage, Our Collection’ report will give the city a clear direction on how to give the wider community greater access to enjoy it.”
Among the more notable items are a sample of fabric from the first wool clip in Australia from about 1821, and various confiscated contraband from the Old Geelong Gaol.
Cr Trent Sullivan, who chairs the council’s arts, culture and heritage portfolio, said the items formed part of the Geelong region’s rich history and thus needed to be managed appropriately.
“This is a great chance for us to showcase what we have now, but it is also clear we need to collaborate closely with our traditional owners, the Wadawurrung community, to identify and preserve more elements of our long Indigenous history.”
The city plans to support the Wadawurrung community in cultural expression through collections, stories and exhibitions.
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