1914-1918 Victorian Newspapers: commemorating the World War 1 centenary.

The State Library of Victoria  has helped digitise and make available online via Trove,  216 Victorian community newspapers from the Great War period.  These papers can be searched through a portal on the State Library website - www.slv.vic.gov.au/digitised-wwi-victorian-newspapers or through Trove.

These newspapers provide a rich source of information about how our communities lived during the Great War - from reports about how  communities raised funds for the War effort, names of soldiers who enlisted, reports about welcome home functions to reports about the erection of Honour Boards and other memorials.

Here's a list of the papers which covered the Casey Cardinia region:

Berwick Shire News
Bunyip Free Press
Dandenong Advertiser
Koo-Wee-Rup Sun
Lang Lang Guardian
Pakenham Gazette
Reporter (Box Hill - covered news from the Shire of Fern Tree Gully which Emerald was part of)
South Bourke and Mornington  Journal
West Gippsland Gazette

The Age and The Argus, the two state wide dailies, plus the Weekly Times  also include local news.

Here are some early reports on the War from the local papers.

This is from the South Bourke and Mornington Journal from August 6, 1914.

Editorial from the West Gippsland Gazette August 11, 1914

Finally, just to show that for some businesses, a war is a just another marketing opportunity, here's a great advertisement form the Bunyip Free Press!

Bunyip Free Press August 6. 1914.

Emerald ANZAC walk and Beaconsfield Avenue of Honour plaques

You are invited to attend these two events that honour the Great War soldiers from the Emerald Community and the Beaconsfield Community. All welcome.

March 11, 2015 at 11.30am

Emerald ANZAC Walk and ANZAC Place

The Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, will  officially open the Emerald ANZAC Walk and ANZAC Place.

The Walk honours the sacrifice of the 32 soldiers, from Emerald, who enlisted in the Great War and did not return.

The organisers have put together a visual extravaganza of returning Emerald station to the 1915 era. Puffing Billy’s oldest train and passenger carriages along with a timber transporting carriage, a big band supplied by HMAS Cerberus, soldiers dressed in WW1 uniforms re-enacting returning from the War, children dressed in period costumes, and a smattering of Veteran cars help create this event. Add to this the Governor General arriving on the train with soldiers and school children and you will be witnessing a  spectacular event. All welcome.

More information: Visit the Emerald RSL website www.emeraldrsl.com.au

Friday, March 13 2015 at 10.00am

Beaconsfield Avenue of Honour Plaques

Mr Daniel Mulino MP will officially open the Plaques at  Beaconsfield Park, corner of Old Princes Highway and Emerald Road and afterwards for morning tea at the Beaconsfield Tennis Club, Perc Allison Reserve, Beaconsfield - Emerald Rd.
(Please park in Perc Allison Reserve/Tennis club car park)

The plaques honour the memory of the 65 servicemen from Beaconsfield and district who served in the Great War. These soldiers originally had  a plaque under a tree in the Beaconsfield -Berwick Avenue of Honour, but the original plaques have since been removed.

The ceremony will also include the launch of the booklet/digital Beaconsfield Avenue of Honour Servicemen remembered by Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Leticia Wilmot.