The Town of Victoria Park in Western Australia, which was officially gazetted in 1894, has commissioned a written history that captures the significant social history of the town.
Beyond Matta Gerup: a history of Victoria Park is a narrative of the changing social landscape in Victoria Park: it is the story of its people, and how they have lived and worked in the district.
The title of the book is an acknowledgment of the traditional custodians of the land, the Wadjuk people, and their significance to the cultural heritage of the area.
“The book is symbolic of the Town’s ongoing commitment to preserving the heritage of the area we live in,” said Victoria Park Mayor Trevor Vaughan. “Information for the book came from many sources, including the Town’s written history collection.”
The Mayor explained that, “The history collection is a rich source of historical material including photos, letters, items and stories gathered from private donations over many years.
“There have been some interesting moments in the Town’s history, including the very pompous affair that was the opening of the second causeway in 1867. The Governor had his moment stolen when a small boy dashed across the bridge before the official procession. This caused the Governor to be in fact, the second person to cross the bridge, not the first as intended.”
A grant from Lotterywest made the initial idea a possibility and, in 2008, a contract for the writing of the book was awarded to the UWA Centre for Western Australian History, with Dr Susannah Thompson chosen as the author. The book also includes a foreword written by former Premier and Member for Victoria Park Geoff Gallop.
