Queenscliffe Historical Museum President Gary Spry exchanges a hand shake and a laugh with Bellarine MP Lisa Neville and Museum committee members.
After more than a decade of being overlooked, Queenscliff’s Cultural Hub will finally become a reality.
The Victorian Government has announced a further $1.2 million for the project, which includes the redevelopment of the Queenscliff Historical Museum, library and Visitor Information Centre.
The new funding, granted under the state’s Community Support Fund, takes to more than $4 million the government’s pledged support.
It comes on top of $2.5 million - recently re-directed from the Borough of Queenscliffe's Destination Queenscliff Project - and $450,000 already provided through the Living Libraries Fund.
Welcoming the announcement, Museum President Gary Spry said the redevelopment would deliver a bigger facility to showcase its many artefacts and improve research capabilities.
“It’s brought a smiles to the faces of all of our people. We’re happy to know that after 14 long years, since we first raised the issue of over-crowding, there’s finally a breakthrough,” he said.
“There’s a revitalised group of people running the museum who have a determination to move into the future with interactive stuff that will make our history relevant to a whole new generation of Australians.
“We regard this, the hub, as Destination Queenscliff. This is at the heart of it and I think the project is even more relevant now than when we started.
“In terms of recognising what history’s all about - the fact that it gives you an opportunity to have some continuity in your own life, to look back on the past and see what’s coming in the future - it’s terribly important, not only to the local community but to all Australians,” Mr Spry said.
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, who will chair a hub community project control group, stressed the new funding was not an election commitment and not contingent on her government being re-elected next month.
The allocation was enough to immediately commence initial design works, she said.
“Every conversation I’ve had about the the historical society and getting this Hub done has come with lots of passion from lots of different people. I do know how widely supported it is.
“The original project was more in the $3 million but I think the aspirations, particularly for the Historical Society, are greater than that. But I think we can absolutely move forward now and lock down those designs.”
The Victorian Government has announced a further $1.2 million for the project, which includes the redevelopment of the Queenscliff Historical Museum, library and Visitor Information Centre.
The new funding, granted under the state’s Community Support Fund, takes to more than $4 million the government’s pledged support.
It comes on top of $2.5 million - recently re-directed from the Borough of Queenscliffe's Destination Queenscliff Project - and $450,000 already provided through the Living Libraries Fund.
Welcoming the announcement, Museum President Gary Spry said the redevelopment would deliver a bigger facility to showcase its many artefacts and improve research capabilities.
“It’s brought a smiles to the faces of all of our people. We’re happy to know that after 14 long years, since we first raised the issue of over-crowding, there’s finally a breakthrough,” he said.
“There’s a revitalised group of people running the museum who have a determination to move into the future with interactive stuff that will make our history relevant to a whole new generation of Australians.
“We regard this, the hub, as Destination Queenscliff. This is at the heart of it and I think the project is even more relevant now than when we started.
“In terms of recognising what history’s all about - the fact that it gives you an opportunity to have some continuity in your own life, to look back on the past and see what’s coming in the future - it’s terribly important, not only to the local community but to all Australians,” Mr Spry said.
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, who will chair a hub community project control group, stressed the new funding was not an election commitment and not contingent on her government being re-elected next month.
The allocation was enough to immediately commence initial design works, she said.
“Every conversation I’ve had about the the historical society and getting this Hub done has come with lots of passion from lots of different people. I do know how widely supported it is.
“The original project was more in the $3 million but I think the aspirations, particularly for the Historical Society, are greater than that. But I think we can absolutely move forward now and lock down those designs.”