Take a tour through town history

EVERYONE is invited to explore the home of the Meredith History Interest Group this weekend as part of the group’s annual open day event.

Scheduled to be held on Sunday, the group’s president Marg Cooper said the event is an ideal way for the community to get more familiar with the town’s history.

“We’ve had this for the last few years to showcase what the group does and to show we’re friendly and enthusiastic with a passion for history,” she said.

“A lot of people, even in the town, don’t really come through the doors, whether they haven’t got an interest or think they can’t, we try to openly invite people in.”

This year’s open day will be themed around Meredith’s general store trading, as far back as the 1860s.

Displays on the town’s ‘bottom shop’ and ‘top shop’ businesses will be on show during the event, with ledgers and various stock wares included.

“There was probably always two general stores going at any given time,” Ms Cooper said.

“On one of the boards, we have a list from when Henry O’Brien died, they had a clearing sale.

“The stuff he sold was from flour and sugar to gunpowder, dynamite, crockery to trousers, everything.

“There used to be Mrs Fraser at what became the top shop.

“She used to say she could get anything for anyone and would go on the train to Geelong and buy whatever people wanted, and bring it to them.”

Scones and cream will be available and the group’s bookshop will also be open.

As an early acknowledgement of National Shared Reading Week, wrapped-up books complete with a questionnaire will be available for attendees to take home.

A plant stall will also feature and group members will be on hand to help with any questions attendees have about the history of Meredith and surrounds.

Ms Cooper estimated the group has about 80 members.

The open day will run from 10am to 3pm, at 31 Staughton Street.

Meredith History Interest Group’s Gail Hadley, Darren Guthrie, and Geoffrey Hardy are among the group’s 80 members.