Do you have photos showing our early irrigation history?

Published on 20 April 2016

Mildura Rural City Council’s Library Service is looking for old photographs of our earliest days as an irrigation colony to help celebrate Mildura Day this year.

The 31st May 2016 marks the 129th Anniversary since the Chaffey Brothers signed the historic indenture which made Mildura Australia’s first irrigation colony and each year, the Chaffey Trail Reference Group remember this important part of our modern history.

The 2016 Mildura Day celebrations will focus on our early fruit blocks and the types of fruit and vegetables grown and as such, Mildura Rural City Council’s Library service is supporting the Chaffey Trail Reference Group by looking for photos taken during these very early years.

“The Mildura Day anniversary celebrates one of the more important days in our local modern history,” Councillor Mark Eckel who is chairman of the Chaffey Trail Reference Group explained.

“On 31 May 1887, American brothers George and William Benjamin (WB) Chaffey signed an indenture between Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, represented by Sir Henry Brougham Loch, of the Colony of Victoria which formalised Mildura as the nation’s first irrigation colony.”

Cr Eckel said the Chaffey’s vision for Mildura extended beyond the potential to irrigate, to include schools and a vibrant, thriving community and that 31 May is a great chance to reflect on the city’s history.

Arts and Culture portfolio Councillor Jill Joslyn said any pre-1950 photos of early irrigation and horticultural practices are particularly of interest.

“All you need to do is bring your original photos in to the Mildura Library branch and staff will copy them for you,” Cr Joslyn explained.  “We would also love as much information as possible about the photos – where and when they were taken and who is photographed would be particularly helpful.

“Photos that are pre-1950 are not covered by copyright but we will still need permission from the owner of the photograph to reproduce a copy and use the image in publications or displays.”

Anyone with photos is urged to contact our Library Service on (03) 5018 8100 or pop in to the Mildura Library branch.

ENDS

Media enquiries
Angela Umback
p) (03) 5018 8689
e) angela.umback@mildura.vic.gov.au