On Friday, June 28, the Nagambie Rowing Club became a gallery showcasing local photographer Diane Grant’s 40-year career in photography and community journalism.
Friends, family and colleagues joined Di at her retirement lunch to celebrate and share stories from her 40-year career.
“I felt really great that I was able to celebrate this milestone in my life with some of the people I had known for 50, 40 and 30 years and just a few as well,” Di said.
“I was pleased that those who were able to attend my retirement lunch thanked me for being a part of their lives too, not just as a writer and photographer, but as a long-term friend or co-volunteer for many events we shared together.”
Hartley Higgins from the Euroa Gazette describes Di as someone who is unique in her way of reporting in local news.
“She has taken a much more personal, in some ways, but also strong view of reporting local news,” he said.
“One that doesn't want to miss out on local news, and she lives it both professionally and locally.
“She lives the news coverage in a very, very special way for her community.”
Di said that seeing everyone interact at her party made her really happy.
“I loved seeing everyone interact with each other and enjoy not only catching up with me again but looking at my displays,” she said.
“Most of them were featured in the photos, and I hope they enjoyed my speech without getting too bored.
In true Di Grant fashion, she walked around the room, her trusty camera in hand, taking photos of all the fun at the event.
“I have loved taking photographs as part of my lifetime of memories and labelling them in albums for posterity,” she said.
“They are part of my life’s history.”
Journalist Darren Chaitman said Di had been a big help in connecting him to different people in the community.
“She is very talkative... always has a lot of updates about her life and everything that she's doing,” he said.
“She knows a lot of people involved in so many different community events.”
“She always has a very positive view of the community.
“You can tell that she really lives in the community she writes about because she uses so much detail that you wouldn't just get from being a journalist.”
Now that Di has retired, she has more exciting plans, like cleaning up her small village, officiating weddings, and much more.
“I want to complete my 400-page Mum’s Memoirs book,” Di said.
“They (photos) are helping me write my Mum’s Memoirs by helping me recall dates, events and people.”
“In September, John and I also hope to go to Perth for a 55-year Singapore army reunion.”
“We also want to visit my family in Queensland, especially my sick son, and my daughter and both their families up there.”
Di said she was truly grateful to Nagambie Rowing Club and her guests who came together for the retirement lunch.
“Thanks to the newspaper representatives from three papers for coming along, and everyone for their best wishes, cards and flowers,” she said.
“Also, thanks to those who sent best wishes over the phone, emails or Facebook.”