On its 20th anniversary, the Katandra & District History Group will unveil a chronicle of its community titled From Adversity to Prosperity.
The book launch will take place at the Katandra West Community Centre this Sunday; all are welcome and no RSVP is required.
“About 70 families are depicted in the book. It’s a substantial volume of about 230 pages,” group president Janice Senior said.
The event begins at 1pm, with the official launch at 2pm.
A slide show of historic photographs, afternoon tea and a sales booth for the book are among the planned attractions.
State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe will launch the book.
On the day of the launch, the book is priced at $30, after which it will be sold at its standard price of $35.
“We’ve been working on the book for six years, but had to halt for two years due to COVID,” group secretary Bob Kennedy said.
Mr Kennedy said the process involved collecting stories from local families, verifying them and even penning articles about various local sporting groups.
This release is the second major book in the ‘Katandra series’, though a few smaller ones have been previously published.
Mr Kennedy said the gap in the group’s work caused by the pandemic did not diminish members’ enthusiasm for recording and preserving local history.
Vice president Garry Wallden explained the reasoning behind the book’s title.
“The 1930s were the start of the Depression, and that was the adversity,” he said.
“The prosperity part refers to the 1950s when the Korean War brought about a boost in global prices and the local economy benefited significantly.”
Readers can look forward to a comprehensive account of Katandra’s history from 1930 to 1960.
Mr Wallden said the book included school records, personal narratives from older residents and information on dozens of local families.
He also said the project was in part inspired by a collective push to record local history.
“It’s being lost,” Mr Wallden said.
“If we don’t get it down on paper, as people pass away, that’s all gone.”
His sentiments were echoed by Mrs Senior.
“The few people that do come to the district ask about things,” she said.
“We’ll say ‘Go and buy our book and you’ll know everything we know’.”
Another group member, Jan Wallden, emphasised the book’s potential as a resource for younger generations.
“It’s important for the younger families who have an interest in the past history of their relatives and the district,” Mrs Wallden said.
The book will be available for purchase at the Katandra West General Store and Post Office or directly from the members of the history group.