Historic win
A collection of watercolours by Neville Cayley, depicting early Warragul settlement are set for restoration after Warragul and District Historical Society received a community heritage grant of $10,550.
The grant will be used to restore the four paintings which depict early settlement in Warragul in 1879.
Cayley was a real estate agent who often sold his work to local farmers because they showed the improvements which had occurred. Farmers were able to use the paintings as proof of such improvements.
The paintings even record the early use of the spelling of Warrigal.
Cayley is known to many people as a celebrated Australian author, artist and ornithologist. He produced Australia's first comprehensive bird field guide What Bird is That?
The restoration work will include removing mould, restoring colourings and yellowed paper and correct framing.
It has been a lengthy process for the society to progress to the grant and involved persistence from members Aldo Bagnara and Colin Silcock.
The society received a $4000 grant from the National Library of Australia in 2018 which allowed for an official historian to assess the works for their significance on a local, state and national basis.
This was followed by a further grant of $4000 to fund a conservator to assess whether the works needed conserving.
Dr Bagnara said the paintings had stood the test of time and the restoration work would allow them to look as they once did.
“The restoration work brings out the colours and they’ll look pristine,” he said.
The collection is highly valued which each painting estimated to be worth between $15,000 to $20,000.
Society member Malcolm Dickson said both Dr Bagnara and Mr Silcock had put many hours into grant applications.
“If it hadn’t been for their patience this funding would not have been successful.
“We were knocked back the first time but they persisted and this will be of great benefit to the society,” he said.
The society has also received a grant from Baw Baw Shire Council to improve maintenance of the Old Shire Hall which will include temperature controls and lighting to enable such works to be stored in a safe environment.
Mr Dickson said it was hoped when the restoration was complete the paintings and other notable works would be on show in other spaces such as the West Gippsland Arts Centre on a rotational basis.