Historic sites will be full of life when the Benalla Heritage Festival begins on May 1.
The festival is part of the Australian Heritage Festival, the country’s largest community-driven celebration of heritage, which this year has a theme of ‘Connections’.
The Benalla event will run from Wednesday, May 1, to Sunday, May 5, with 31 individual sessions in which the public can participate.
The festival launch and morning tea will be held on May 1 at the Benalla Family Research Group rooms, 9 Church St, Benalla, from 10.30am until noon. The guest speaker will be Benalla Citizen of the Year Jenny Wapling.
One of the festival’s attractions will be ‘Turning on Genes: Understanding your DNA’ with Emeritus Professor Dr Jim Burnell. It will be a presentation relevant to those interested in inheritance, forensics and medical science, providing a basic understanding of terms commonly used in discussions of all things genetic.
Sessions will be on May 3 and 4, from 10.30am to noon, at 9 Church St, Benalla. Entry is $5. To book, please email jimburnell@bigpond.com
Other attractions and things to do at the five-day festival include:
• Learn of the Yorta Yorta heritage in the region.
• Guided walks around our historic buildings.
• Winton Wetlands art and landscape walks.
• Presentation on one of Benalla’s famous sons.
• The extensive history of Catholic Education.
• Self-drive tours of our Silo Art Trail.
• The history of Moira House.
• Day and night cemetery walks at Benalla, Winton and Moorngag.
• Cinema as it was in the 1950s at Swanpool.
• Get an insight into how to search your family history.
• Discover the history of the Masonic Lodge
• Learn the history of aviation in Benalla.
• Interesting historic presentations and talks.
Check out the Facebook page Australian Heritage Festival in Benalla for more information on all the sessions, including a full program.
Bookings can be made for any session online. Go to www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf/vic then search for Victorian events and type in Benalla. You will see all the amazing events that the Benalla Heritage Network is offering in what is its fourth event.
Some events are free to the public while others are either by donation or a small fee.
Places are limited, so bookings are recommended.
For more information, email secretary@benallafamilyresearchgroup.org