My June project has been to make contact with the nine communities whose Institute building opened 100 years ago in 1924. With about 300 words I hoped to pique their interest enough for them to visit the website, find out about South Australia’s institutes and acknowledge the centenary on their doorstep.
So far I have been thrilled to hear from five of these nine communities. One building’s centenary has already been celebrated and I’ve discovered that celebrations have also begun for a building that opened in 1925 – at Yaninee on Eyre Peninsula.
Cobdogla Hall’s 100th was celebrated this month on June 23rd by the Riverland Vintage and Classic Car Club which now looks after the hall. Organised for that day were an Open House, the unveiling of a mural, a display of memorabilia, a Memorial Service and lunch with a special cake. Also organised for the day was a band for dancing and a Show and Shine of vehicles.
As a result of my contact, the quarterly community newsletter for Karoonda Council will feature my information about the Perponda Institute, the South Eastern Times will include what I sent about the Rendelsham Hall and the editor of the Mitcham Council News magazine will consider including my short article for Westbourne Park Institute’s building later in the year. A Co-coordinator of the Port Noarlunga Arts Centre has sought suggestions for how the Centre might celebrate its 100-year-old building.
Preparations to celebrate the centenary of the Yaninee Institute in March 2025 have already begun. Holly Whittenbury and Veronica Skipworth have published a children’s adventure activity book, Among the Granite Outcrops, that follows the journey of two dogs from their farm across paddocks and mallee scrub. On the way the dogs teach readers about the indigenous flora and fauna of the Upper Eyre Peninsula. Around 230 copies of the book have already been distributed to children in the area in preparation of the celebrations in 2025.
I’ll now reach out to the other six communities with a building that opened in 1925 to house an affiliated Institute.