This evening I attended the 50th birthday celebrations of the Ringwood Historical Society. The organisation, which was founded on the 9th of September 1958 was just one of six suburban based historical societies at the time.

In its early existence, the Ringwood Historical Society had a particular emphasis on the history around the the proclamation of the Borough of Ringwood which occurred in 1924. As the society grew, it also developed an interest in the pioneering settlements and Ringwood’s early history, stemming from the late 1880s.

It is great to see an increasing interest in local history, with the number of historical societies increasingly significantly over the past fifty years. In the 1950s there were just 30 historical societies, compared to over 300 today.

The Ringwood Historical Society has accomplished a number of achievements over the past fifty years, including the preservation of Ringwood’s history and the relocation of the miners cottage to Ringwood Lake. Unfortunately the organisation’s major objective of cultural heritage within Ringwood, currently remains unfulfilled.

I have stated my support for a Ringwood culture heritage centre in Ringwood, as I believe it is crucial to preserve our history for the future. This is only going to become increasingly important as the urban form in Ringwood changes over coming years. While Ringwood needs to become a vibrant urban centre, a preservation of history will enhance the depth of our community and hence the sense of inclusion within Ringwood.