Dimboola in Victoria’s Wimmera Region celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009 and new displays and features were prepared for those celebrating.

Our Society’s tour, which took place from Saturday 6 March at 12 noon to Monday 8 March 2010, included inspections of Dimboola’s displays, as well as a visit to Jeparit’s Pioneer Museum and Robert Menzies’ memorials and to the remains of the Moravian Mission at Antwerp.

This tour was organized by the Wendish Heritage Society but members of other like-minded historical societies were welcome to join in and to see first-hand the locations, restorations and displays relating to some of Victoria’s early settlements and missions.

The proposed itinerary, more or less adhered to, is set out below:

Sat. 6th March:

• We met at the Robert Menzies Memorial in the main street of Jeparit at 12.30 pm for a BYO picnic lunch.
• Visited Jeparit’s Pioneer Museum which, by some mischance, was closed.
• Visit Ebenezer Aboriginal Mission Station at Antwerp in late afternoon.
• Evening Dinner at the Victoria Hotel, Dimboola.

Participants later reassembled at the Dimboola Historical Society to hear the president, our guest speaker, give a power-point presentation outlining the history of the district during the past 150 years.

Sun.7th March:

• Opportunity to attend church service (led by Colin Huf) at Katyil and to visit the Katyil cemetery.
• Lunch was a splendid repast prepared by the members of the Dimboola Historical Society.
• Visits to the Old Courthouse Museum, 67 Lloyd St, Dimboola and the Dimboola Banner Print Museum for a guided tour.

The evening meal was a splendid barbecue prepared by Betty and Colin Huf and helpers at the Lutheran Manse in Dimboola. The highlight of the evening was a virtuoso performance on Wendish bagpipes by Betty and Colin.

Mon. 8th March:

• Morning visit to weir on the Dimboola River – complete with running water for the first time in many years.
• Visit to the farm of Ian Lehmann.
• Cemetery tour.

The long weekend’s activities concluded with lunch at the Lutheran Manse in Dimboola.

The Society wishes to acknowledge, with gratitude, the work of the organisers, Betty and Colin Huf, and Glenys Wollermann.