RIVER PEOPLE

The Living Museum received funding for an oral history recording project, 'Maribyrnong River People' from the Australia Foundation. The project was a partnership between the Living Museum, Melbourne Parks & Waterways, Friends of the Maribyrnong River Valley Inc. and Maribyrnong River Cruises. Interviews were conducted by Libby McKinnon.

A primary objective of the Living Museum is to involve and engage diverse Australian communities, and in particular those sectors of the community which have traditionally been excluded or disadvantaged in terms of access to cultural facilities. It does this through considerable community participation in its programs and through developing programs of a high standard using innovative styles of research and presentation. The Museum's oral history collection is a nationally recognised resource for the research and presentation of the stories of ordinary and exemplary Australians.

The historical role of the Maribyrnong River has been of national importance in the development of industry and transport. The stories of the river people are unique and encompass a wide range of human experience not to be found elsewhere in the country. Ten stories highlight the diverse experiences of the Maribyrnong River.

The Living Museum oral history program has considerable information on the Maribyrnong River and the major role it played in the pastoral and industrial history of the region but there were a number of gaps in our collection relating to the river's source, the first irrigators, floods, small boys, rowing boats, the Tea Gardens and the Henley on the Maribyrnong Rowing Regatta

Warwick Somerville for instance, travels the river almost every day with his father Peter Somerville, owner of 'The Blackbird' and Maribyrnong River Cruises. Warwick can tell you how many of each bird, fish, animal or person he has seen on the River.

Ron Elliot spent his youth - from the age of 13 in the mid 1930s - rowing boats for 'Fitz' between the Maribyrnong Road bridge and the old Tea Gardens as well as recovering rowing boats from the Flemington Racecourse after the River flooded. The Museum was also given permission to copy his photo album which captures all these events on the river.

The Milburns are descendants of the first irrigators of the freshwater section of Maribyrnong, up near Arundel Bridge in Keilor. They used to supply the Victoria Market. Their interview is very much about John's great grandparents and grandparents and his family today, some of whom still operated from the same farm, until recently.

Arnold Zable, a Melbourne writer, wrote the picture book, 'The River Man', which describes the life of Nick, a hermit who lived near a fresh water creek off the main river in Avondale Heights. The interview with Arnold Zable is about Nick and the growing friendship with him. Nick cared for the river very much and was continually clearing his stretch of the river of litter including car bodies and fridges.

Pat Petit is well known in the Maribyrnong River valley for the Friends of the Maribyrnong, who continually stay informed and act where necessary regarding any potentially detrimental developments that may impinge on the integrity of the river valley and its environment.

Glenn Martin grew up in Ascot Vale, just up from The Esplanade, in the late 1960s - early 1970s. His childhood was spent with friends mucking about by the river, climbing through the drains that run into the river, playing in the Sand Caves which were 'out of bounds' before the days of playgrounds.

Jim Borle grew up at Lancefield and as a boy fished and rabbited along Jackson's Creek as far as the Riddell's Creek township where he lives today. We were able to take photos of the waterholes he either swam in, or was familiar with, and trace the river right back to its source as seepage in a valley below Mt. William.