Axedale Community Hall 1995

Posted on October 23, 2021 by Jennifer Jones

From: Axedale Antics, December 1995, Edition 92

Axedale Hall 50 Years of Service
As early as the mid 1930s, meetings were held with the view of constructing a new hall that would service the district, and replace the older building then in use.

In the minutes of a meeting held 26 April 1939, it is recorded that a letter was received from Mr. R.B. Brennan, Strathfieldsaye Shire Secretary, stating that the shire council had decided to grant the committee’s request for hall plans and transfer of building site. It was moved by Cr. Mill and seconded by Mr. Lynch that the committee approve of a plan of 60 feet by 40 feet dancing space and Shire Engineer Mr. Flight submit the plans accordingly.

At a meeting held 14 June 1939, Mr. Flight reported to the committee that the estimated cost of the new hall would be 1,141 pounds.

On 19 October 1943, the committee requested the Shire of Strathfieldsye to make application to Minister of Public Works for a grant of 600 pounds on a 2 for 1 basis, and on 27 September 1944, a grant of 600 pounds was received.

On 29 March 1944, Mr. Drake donated to the committer Blocks 6 and 7, High Street, Axedale, on condition that the land would definitely be used for the construction of a new hall. The hall was constructed by builder J.J. Moran and at a meeting on 08 August 1945, Shire Engineer, Mr. S. Power reported a final cost of 1374 pounds, at the same meeting it was moved by Mr. McKenzie and seconded by Cr. Mill the committee issue 5 year debentures, minimum of one pound with an interest rate of 2.5% per annum.

The first recorded event to take place in the new hall was the drawing of the 1945 Melbourne Cup Sweep on 01 November 1945. Sweeps were run to aid funding. Sports days were held at the recreation reserve to also aid funding and these were very popular events and drew large crowds. The new hall was officially opened on 05 December 1945 and to mark the occasion a grand opening ball was held. The first Debutante Ball took place on 28 December 1945.

The younger set was formed on 16 April 1946, with monthly meetings and games nights.

On 28 June 1946, the district welcomed home it’s returned service men and women and unveiled the honour roll.

The hall was a very popular place with dances and halls drawing very large crowds, special buses would run from Bendigo and Heathcote. The old generating plant was removed from service when SEC power became available in the early 1950s.

On 05 July 1967, the Axedale Indoor Bowling Club applied to committee to hold indoor bowls on Saturday nights, and continues to this day.

In recent times, the hall has been upgraded to include a Kindergarten and supper room and kitchen rebuilt.

The hall has served the community well, and will continue to do so. It’s 50th birthday will be marked on New Year’s Eve, with an old time dance, in the style of the 1940s era. Those who made their debut 50 years ago, on 28 December 1945, will be invited guests. Hope to see you there.

Peter R. Dunlop, Chairman
Axedale Hall Committee
Axedale Antics, Decemberr 1995, Edition 92.

Axedale Community Hall | Axedale – Then and Now — *Axedale Public Hall*

SHIRE OF STRATHFIELDSAYE
AXEDALE PUBLIC HALL
This stone was laid by
THE HON. J.H. EDENHOP M.L.C
MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS
on the 30TH DAY OF JUNE 1945

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Axedale Colonial Country Fair 1994

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Jennifer Jones

The following article about the Axedale Colonial Country Fair appeared in the community newspaper, Axedale Antics on ??? This annual event was very much looked forward to by the community during the 1990s.

From: The Axedale Antics, October 1994, Edition 79

With only a few weeks to go, the Axedale Colonial Country Fair, being held on Sunday 16 October, is shaping up to be another wonderful day once more. Many of the great attractions from previous years, and some exciting new ones, will be entertaining the public all day.

The Axedale Colonial Fair is colonial AND country, incoporating the old and the new, with interesting and entertaining exhibitions and attractions, rides and relics, dining and dancing., from past to present day. There will be a hot air balloon and helicopter, Cobb & Co coach and camels, merry-go-round and gyrobix, Harley motor bike and hay rides to delight young and old alike.

Aboriginal Corroborees, Irish, Scottish, Dutch and Australian bush dances, and the Eurofest choir will perform, as well as a one act play put on by the Bendigo Community Heralth Centre and some local school children.

The Muddyflats country music band and the Emu Creek bush band will give us some easy listening music and assist the dancers. Chinese Lions will visit and dance and prance for your enjoyment.

The Axedale Colonial Country Fair Town Crier’s competition will be bigger than ever this year, with at least ten town criers showing us how well they can raise their voices.

Rob The Swaggie and Kookie Koala will no doubt have a hard time endeavouring to keep Benjamin B. Bunyip in line as usual.

Listen in delight to the beautiful sound of bygone days that emit from the old Harkness whistles.

Artillery and defence displays, including a leopard tank, will be mingled among the various other displays of vintage cars, restored Holdens and Morris Minors, motor cross bikes and sprint cars, antique machinery, Neighbourhood Watch, Penguin Club of Australia, Bendigo Community Health Centre, and many others.

View the extensive array of collectives belonging to the Golden City Collectors and the delightful doll display. Be amazed at the skills of the chainsaw sculptures. See a real, live blacksmith, and step back in time with the Axedale and Strathfieldsaye History display.

Visit the miniature rail roads, and while there, take the opportunity to talk to someone many miles away in Australia on the Bendigo Amateur Radio equipment.

Out on the arena, watch the Nanneella Tent Peggers, and the Bendigo Polo Cross give you some exhilarating examples of their exciting talents.

Clown around with clowns, meet Billy Bottle and Captain Koala, introduce yourself to the Clydesdale with the old bakers cart, inspect the penny farthing bikes, listen to the buskers, and get Ian Glanville, the characturist, to draw a portrait for you. Have a limerick written especially for you.

While Mum and Dad take advantage of a tour of the Axedale Cemetery, leave the kids at Kids Corner, where they can have their faces painted, play Life Be In It games, and enter the Benjamin BG. Bunyip colouring competition – great prizes.

Bring along your favourite pets and enter them in the Uncles Ben’s Pets ‘n’ Pals Parade – plenty of prizes and novelty sections.

This year, the inaugural Axedale Colonial Country Fair/Bendigo Cycling Club race, will take place with approx 30 senior and 30 junior riders competing.

While you wander through the large array of art & craft stalls, which include pottery and paintings, calico arts and ceramics, wooden toys and tartan weavers, jewellery and folk art, garden accessories and wood turning, hats and teddy bears, novelties and white elephant stalls, – you certainly won’t suffer any hunger pains with the variety of foods and refreshments available. Devonshire teas, pies and hot dogs, hot potatoes and takeaway, BBQ, confectionary, cakes and coffee, ice creams and soft drinks and an alcohol bar.

The Fair will be officially opened at 10am by Commissioner Mr. Les Crofts, and the entertainment will flow all day until 6pm.

At 3pm, many of these wonderful participants will congregate to be involved in the Grande Parade around the oval, and anyone attending the fair in costume is also invited to be involved in this. Prizes are awarded on the day for a variety of categories, eg. costume, stall, display.

The Dragon City Marshalls will be in attendance to assist in ensuring that people of all ages, and from all walks of life may have a hazard free and happy day.

So come visit us at Axedale, at the Colonial Country Fair on Sunday 16th October – we’d love to see you.

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Helpers are needed to help in the preparation of the grounds, in setting up on the day, and for manning various positions on the day – if you can help, we’d be very grateful. Also if you have any knowledge on erecting marquees, we sure could use you. Please phone 397316

Also donations of scones and/or cakes for the Devonshire Tea stall will be very gratefully accepted – once again, if you can help, please phone.
Many Thanks, Doreen (Secretary)

If you recognise yourself in the photos, please let me know and I will add your name.

Axedale Antics March 2021 Edition

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Jennifer Jones

These are the first three pages of the Axedale Antics, February 2021 edition. To read the entire issue, just click here The Axedale Antics is published monthly.

Axedale Antics February 2021

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Jennifer Jones

These are the first three pages of the Axedale Antics, February 2021 edition. To read the entire issue, just click here The Axedale Antics is published monthly. There is no January edition due to the summer holidays.

About AOTOF – Axedale Our Town Our Future

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Jennifer Jones

Local community group Axedale Our Town – Our Future, known as AOTOF, was formed in 2007, with the purpose of putting together a local community plan. Since this group formed, there has been much work done by the committee and members, to make improvements to Axedale, and also to the lives of the people in the community of Axedale and surrounds.

The committee of AOTOF have developed a community plan, which was a collaboration with the local community and the City of Greater Bendigo. When this plan was put into place, it was intended that everything on the plan would be enacted by the end of 2022. Covid-19 has caused the plan to be slightly behind where expected, but it is still a work in progress.

The AOTOF committee is sectioned into portfolios, with committee members, choosing the portfolio that is of interest to them. The portfolios are as follows”

* Community Portfolio
* Community Resilience Portfolio
* Events Portfolio
* Communications Portfolio

As a result of the Axedale Community Plan, many events, both informative and fun, now appear regularly on the local calendar. Axedale is now a vibrant community, due to the hard work done by committed locals.

Community members are always welcome to attend and contribute to AOTOF meetings. At the moment, however, due to Covid-19, the meetings are held virtually. If you are interested in attending, leave me a comment and I will ensure you have the necessary information.

Event: Kids In The Park

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Jennifer Jones

Recently, a crowd of excited children gathered at the Axedale Community Park for ‘Kids In The Park – Space Day’. Lots of fun was had and energy burnt off on what was the last day of the school holidays.

The event was organised by Sonya Browne on behalf on local community group Axedale Our Town Our Future (AOTOF).

The fun included a jumping castle, arts and crafts, face painting and story time. Children were invited to come dressed in their favourite space costume with prizes for best costumes.

*Thanks to Sonya Browne for photos

Pirates in Axedale

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Jennifer Jones

On the last Friday of the recent school holidays, excited little pirates converged on Axedale Community Park for the Axedale Community Pirate Party.

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Organiser Sonya Browne said the event which was sponsored by Axedale Our Town Our Future was a huge success. Children had fun on the pirate jumping castle and were even able to walk the plank like a true pirate.

The Axedale Community is well know for their support of local events, and this one was no exception. This was a free event which was an added bonus for families at the end of the school holidays.

Are You Ready For Summer?

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Jennifer Jones

Sale of St. Pauls Anglican Church Axedale

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Jennifer Jones

The following article was on The Bendigo Advertiser website on 12 July 2017. Could be the start of a huge combined effort by the Axedale community:

A progress association president says it is “now or never” for community action to keep an Axedale church from being sold into private hands.

The St Paul’s Anglican Church congregation last met in 2015 and the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo wants it rezoned and sold.

This Thursday the Axedale Our Town Our Future committee will consider stepping in to rally support to keep it in community hands.

The church was build in 1913. In recent times the congregation had diminished until it consisted of just two families, the diocese’ general manager Naomi Fountain said.

Two years ago the diocese and its Axedale Parish made the decision to stop services at the church, which Mrs Fountain described as “heartbreaking”.

“We are very much a rural diocese (and) we work very hard in rural parishes to maintain a sense of community and ministry,” she said.

Mrs Fountain said work had begun to rezone the property for residential use, though plans for a sales date was some time away.

AOTOF president Jennifer Jones said the turnout at a recent public information session showed there was some interest within the community for the church to remain a public institution.

She stressed any action to keep the building open to the public was still in early days, but could involve community groups purchasing it and surrounding land.

It was unclear how much support any plan would have if it was taken to the wider community, though Mrs Fountain said once the property was on the market the diocese would be open to community groups’ interest.

A community purchase would not come without what Ms Jones described as a “huge effort”.

A community committee would most likely be needed to drive fundraisers, grant applications and other work needed to raise money and coordinate any campaign.

Nor were there yet any concrete examples of what the building and grounds would be used for.

“My personal opinion is that it could become a community house or a small community hub,” Ms Jones said.

She said a recent survey had shown a need for space to house the area’s community groups.

“Axedale is growing. There’s lots of young families coming here,” Ms Jones said.

Axedale Community Survey

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Jennifer Jones

Recently : Axedale Our Town Our Future, along with City of Greater Bendigo, surveyed local residents, and asked them for three words to describe their experience of living in the small township of Axedale.

The word cloud below shows the very positive responses that were received.