Heatherlie Annual Meeting, 14th March 1995
Written by Hilda Graham
The tenders for the building of the first 51 units of Heatherlie were opened on 9th March 1978.
On 22nd of April the first, and biggest (more than 200 people), of innumerable working bees was held, it lasted all day and was a massive task of clearing the site of old buildings, including horse stables, huge pine trees and a tennis court. Sandstone from various buildings was stockpiled for some future “unknown” purpose.
As the building proceeded Archie organised many working bees by putting an ad in the Standard calling for helpers, and they came from every section of the community, to clean up after the builders, landscape the area, everyone of the hundreds of paving stones was put down by voluntary labour, and what about the sandstone? It was brought back onto the site and used for the retaining walls and Hugh Adams was the expert on that job.
Women worked beside the men on many of the jobs and provided the food for all the workers. As the units were completed, they had to be cleaned ready for occupancy and the builders agreed to make a financial adjustment if we did the job. Lorna Price agreed to take up this responsibility and approached the women’s groups in each of the city’s churches and there was great cooperation as women worked together cleaning and putting the final touches to the units.
Who will ever forget the crowds at the Opening on the 2nd of September 1979, with Ethel Mitchell, (UC Moderator), and Malcolm Fraser, (Prime Minister), doing the honours. Mr. Fraser had been very helpful in the preliminary negotiations of obtaining Government funding.
After the building was completed, it was very satisfying to talk with the chief officer in the Government Department of Social Security (it was through that Department we received the Government subsidy) and hear him say that Heatherlie was the most successful undertaking they had sponsored. In response to my question as to what criteria they used he replied, “It was completed within budget, within the estimated time, and not only is it full on completion but you had the units occupied as the building proceeded”.
Since 1979, the several committees have continued with the day-to-day work. The building committee had little to do by way of maintenance as the building was all new, but then there were stages 2 and 3 and they kept the members busy as the total number of units was increased to 75. The excellent report submitted by the architect after his recent inspection is a compliment to that committee.
Isabel Jones and her team of faithful workers could be seen working most Wednesdays, as with the assistance of some residents, they established and maintained the lovely gardens. Who will every forget Mr. Jellie’s effort in establishing the garden in front of stage 2, and when it got beyond him Miss Tucker gathered other residents to renovate the area, and what about the lovely spots which Arthur Morris and George Roberts created and still care for. It is only for the last couple of years that we have employed a paid gardener.
The House Management Committee coped with a stream of enquiries and maintained a “full house” and with very few exceptions all are “happy customers”. A few interesting points – Mr. and Mrs. Grayham were the first residents and moved in 16 years ago at the end of this month (March), Mrs Grayham is still here and much beloved by everyone. There were very few vacancies during the first few years but last year there were 11 and altogether 80 units have been vacated – an average of 5 a year. Many more did not proceed with their application even after they had completed the details and interviews etc., so that in all the committee has finalised applications for about 200 people.
Many people have given time and effort to the ongoing management of Heatherlie, and I want to mention just a few – The 1st Heatherlie Council which was operating at the time of Church Union in 1977 was Archie (Chairman), Jack Hazeldine (Secretary), Bruce McPherson, Lila Bishop and myself, then gradually new members with particular skills were added.
Bonnie Williamson was the first Treasurer and she was followed by Gren Tonzing, Ruth Owens and now John Bouwman. Alex Mcrae with his meticulous keeping of the records for the public appeal. We sought assistance from the Church’s Stewardship Department as we needed to raise $140,000. The Department “tested the waters” by having a feasibility dinner to which a large cross section of the community was invited – the result was that we were told we were aiming too low so the appeal was launched for $200,000 by pledged giving over 4 years. At the end of 4 years we had received $240,000 – the local community indicated their “ownership” of Heatherlie.
I could go on about Christ Church Close – when representatives of the Anglican Vestry asked us to develop their disused croquet lawn and – the months of negotiations and all the legalities involved in the arranging for the Uniting Church to lease the land for 99 years at $1 a year so that the ownership of the building would be part of the Heatherlie project of the Uniting Church. It so happened that only a few weeks after the Anglicans initially approached us that we had a delegation from St. Joseph’s requesting us to do something with the land behind their old school. I wonder how much would have been involved in obtaining authority for that merger? But we were saved the trouble as we couldn’t do both. Lastly, we’ve worked with the City Council on this Community Centre as our Stage 4.
Members of the Aged Care Committees in Melbourne cannot understand how we all work together as we do, e.g. when we are modifying the Resident’s Agreement model to suit our situation, they could hardly believe me when I said the City Council did not charge us rates!
Those involved with Heatherlie over the last 17 years enjoyed the opportunities and see it as a privilege to serve the community in this way and feel amply rewarded by the gratitude of those who enjoy the security and comfort which Heatherlie provides for its residents.
Christ Church Close Report, December 1988
Written by Hilda Graham
In June 1985 representatives of the Christ Church Vestry met with the Heatherlie Council to discuss the possibility of erecting another stage of Heatherlie Homes on land owned by the Anglican Church and once used as a croquet lawn in Hanna Street.
For the building to be a part of Heatherlie meant that it would have to be legally owned by the Uniting Church, so the concept was exciting and challenging. The Heatherlie Council appointed Robert Barham, Jack Hazeldine, and Archie and Hilda Graham, with Hilda Graham as Convenor, to meet with representatives Vernon Robson, Michael Halls, Del Clap and Vivienne Williamson (who was also a member of the Heatherlie Council), appointed by the Christ Church Vestry. These 8 People together with the Rev. Peter Blackwood of the Uniting Church and the Rev. Canon Tony Tamblyn of the Anglican Church, formed the Joint Project Committee.
At no time was there anything but enthusiasm in the project but, because as far as we knew, it was the first time in Australia that the Uniting and Anglican Churches had undertaken a joint project of this nature, it took many months of negotiating with solicitors, church officers and Government representatives in order to prepare satisfactory documents. It was important that all aspects be covered so that any questions which may arise in the future years would be answered.
The Uniting Church has now leased the land for $1 a year for 99 years and in return, through the Heatherlie Homes project, erects and maintains the building and manages the occupancy of it for the use of aged and disabled people.
In order to finance the project, it was agreed that there should be a public appeal, to add to the $300,000 which Heatherlie had in its capital account and the sum expected to be contributed by ingoing donations. The appeal was launched at a public dinner on 20th October, 1987, and this was followed up by a team, organised by Vernon Robson, visiting potential donors and charitable trusts, and as a result $146,270 was promised over a 3 year period.
In addition to the legalities regarding the property it was necessary to receive the approval of the various courts of the church in order to erect such a building. The units are the third stage of Heatherlie Homes and were named Christ Church Close, the name selected by the Christ Church Vestry, and are the same plan as those built in Koroit Street because the residents there could not suggest any alterations which would improve them.
Finally, in October, 1987, tenders were called to erect 11 units, a community lounge and laundry, according to the plans prepared by the architect, John Wilson & Associates, and at an estimated cost of approximately $700,000. The successful tenderers were Port Fairy Constructions. On the 21st October, 1987, the first sod was turned by Mr. W. Morton, representing the trustees of the Ian Rollo Currie Trust which had be a major contributor to each of the Heatherlie Projects.
The contractors began work on the site in January, 1988 and made rapid progress with the building. Voluntary helpers cleared and landscaped the grounds so that the property was ready for occupancy and the first residents moved in on 6th August, 1988.
The official opening took place on Sunday, 4th September, 1988, when the Rev. J. Hazlewood, Anglican Bishiop of Ballarat dedicated the building, and the Rev. J.C. Lavender, Past Moderator of the Uniting Church, performed the opening ceremony. The Warrnambool City Band provided the music and a crowd of about 200 shared in the service.
The House Management Committee agreed that it would be best if all the residents did not move in at the same time and so their arrival was spread over a period of several weeks, the last taking up her unit in December. This worked well and ten single people and one married couple were happily settled into their new homes in very pleasant surroundings.
The task completed, the Joint Project Committee held its final meeting on 4th November, 1988, happy in the knowledge that the two churches were able to work together so harmoniously, and confident that many years to come Christ Church Close will provide comfortable accommodation for many people in Warrnambool.
