Tetoora Road hall centenary

The Tetoora Road Community Centre held its centenary celebrations on October 15 and 16.

The weekend of celebrations include a "backto" and family fun day over the two days.

The Tetoora Road Public Hall was completed in September 1922 and opened by Sir John Mackey MLA, on Monday, September 18, 1922.

At the "back-to" event, Peter Cadby and Cameron McDonald unveiled a plaque donated to the hall by their families, which recognised the guarantors and people who had cared for the Tetoora Road Public Hall over the past 100 years.

The hall was financed by debentures and the guarantors agreed to pay back the principal themselves if the hall was unable to do this. The sum guaranteed was about $70,000 in today's money a considerable sum for the eight guarantors, who were local farmers.

Peter spoke about his time in the area. He recounted humorous experiences and mentioned how hard the women of the area worked, looking after children and the household as well as doing farm work.

Cameron spoke of Tetoora Rd's strong farming history how proud he was that his father chose to farm there.

Descendants of some of the guarantors attended the "back-to" and saw their families recognised on the plaque.

The guarantors recognised on the plaque included: James Broderick, William Butt, Athur Edwards, Richard Long, Neil Macfarlane, Edward Motton, Richard Pollard and Edward Richardson.

The Public Record Office Victoria provided the organising committee with a grant to record oral histories. The project was launched at the centenary where a film of extracts will be shown.

The committee collected some great stories who remembers the day the rope swing at the Tetoora Road School broke with one too many kids, sliding on sacks to polish the hall floor or who master-minded the raising of the roof tie beams so that badminton could be played?

Tetoora Road Community Centre committee members Ann Bullen and Margarette McDonald show off the recently returned tennis tro- phy for men’s doubles. Page 18 WARRAGUL AND DROUIN GAZETTE October 25 2022

Enjoying the “back-to” events are (from left) Carla Pollard, Fay Boag (Harlow), Robyn Hislop (Thomson), Jean Neilson (Brasier), Robyn Wright (Harlow) and Margaret Thomson who all went to school at Tetoora Road and some also played badminton at the hall.

Peter Cadby and Cameron McDonald unveil the plaque that commemorates the eight guarantors the hall’s development 100 years ago.

Bev Marshall from Drouin South and Dorothy Heywood from Torwood helped out with providing food to parking attendants.

Orphaned animal hero Chris Clifford shows a blue tongue lizard to Damian McNamara from Hallora.

Locals Vanessa McDonald (left) and Maithya Armour opt for arm art instead of face painting.

Corrinne Armour from Armour Apples hands out apples at the community day.

Rebecca McDonald from Warragul demonstrating wool spinning

Local Ailish Furphy is loving feeding the kid goat.

Justine Furphy feeding the masses