MAYORAL MESSAGE
I was lucky enough to be Mayor when the Living Museum of the West celebrated
its 15th birthday. It was a magical evening: a chill in the air, a full
moon, music playing and the smell of food gently cooking in the garden.
It was an honour for me to follow Joan Kirner, former Premier and patron
of the Museum, as guest speaker. I made the point that this is a living
museum: it opens its heart to people in the here and now.
Getting to know the staff of the museum was an added bonus. It helped
me appreciate the worth of this important organisation not only to the City
of Maribyrnong but across the broader Victorian stage.
The last time I jumped off Peter Somerville's boat, the Blackbird, onto
the wharf at the Museum, I was acutely aware of the link between the River,
Aboriginal culture and our industrial past. The Museum celebrates all three
in a unique way.
Four events of the past year stand out in my mind:
the John Shaw Neilsen Society annual general meeting, where a group of
mainly
outsiders gathered at the Museum to celebrate the life and work of one
of Australia's greatest poets who lived in Footscray for part of his life
and is buried here;
the Museum Committee's foresight in arranging a seminar during Heritage
Week on how we can protect heritage across the City of Maribyrnong, capably
led by Roger Holloway and attended by a remarkable cross section of local
people;
a seminar on snakes (prompted by the Lady Mayor) which was well-attended
by people from the City of Maribyrnong and beyond - fascinating information
on learning to live with snakes, who have as much right to be here as any
of us, and
the birth of Phoebe Possum, Peter and Kerrie's baby - proof positive
of the living part of the Museum and its community.
Looking ahead, I currently chair the City of Maribyrnong's Maribyrnong
River and Valley forum, a joint venture with the City of Moonee Valley,
and would like to see the Living Museum of the West play a greater role
in the conduct and direction of the forum, as well as providing its main
meeting venue.
Managing a community-based organisation and not just keeping it afloat
but making it grow, is a special challenge. We are fortunate to have high
calibre, committed and motivated people associated with the Living Museum of the West who are
prepared to walk the extra mile. I wish the Museum and its staff all the
best for the coming year and I look forward to continuing our close association.
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