Barn Dance boot scoot & boogie!

“A stomping good time of line dancing and boot scooting” was how locals described the recent Barn Dance at Mount Eccles Hall.

Amidst hats, gingham tablecloths and checked shirts, approximately 70 adults and children from the community of Mount Eccles gathered for an evening of family fun. Both newcomers to the area and long-time residents attended.  While some (both young and old) tripped over their toes, others kicked up their heels in perfect time to the beat.

The Barn Dance was generously supported by the South Gippsland Shire Council Community Gathering Fund in response to the June 2021 storm event. An earlier opportunity to hold this community get-together was not possible due to COVID restrictions, and other planned Hall events.

Local resident Mark Marbani was the DJ for the evening, with locals leading the dance steps and keeping everyone in line.

“The hills were certainly alive with the sound of music and boots on the Hall floor”, said Nikki Williams, President of the Mount Eccles Hall committee. “The community had a fabulous time, and thanks to the Council, it was a great way to bring us all together not only after last year’s storm events but also after easing of COVID restrictions.”

Community Grants Presentation Night

The Mount Eccles Hall committee received a certificate of congratulations from the South Gippsland Shire Council (SGSC) Mayor and Councillors at a recent Community Grants Presentation Night.

The certificate acknowledged the Hall committee’s success in receiving funding for a publicly accessible defibrillator as part of the Hall’s community safety project. This funding was matched by an in-kind donation from the Victoria Farmers Federation for a Farm Safety talk, which was also part of the project.

Community groups from across SGSC received a total of $222,329.00 as part of the SGSC’s 2021/22 Community Grants Program.

Receiving the certificate on behalf of the Mount Eccles Hall committee are: Nikki and Merv Williams, and Christine and David Corbidge.

Light Up the Mount, 2022

Another wonderful Light up the Mount evening was had by all attendees on Saturday evening up at the Hall. Delicious food, delightful company, lucky-dip prizes & of course, the shining of the light on one of our long standing community members, Lois Scott.

Thank you to all who came along, and we look forward to kicking up our heels with you in September for our Barn Dance!

Mount Eccles celebrates ABC’s 90th anniversary

Mount Eccles Hall celebrated the 90th anniversary of the ABC in appreciation of its role in keeping regional communities informed and entertained. The centrepiece of the Hall’s tribute to Australia’s national broadcaster was a cake portraying a film strip of historic photos from Mount Eccles Hall.  

Established in 1905, the Mount Eccles Hall is the hub of the community; a place for social connection, celebrations, events, and sharing information, in much the same way as the ABC has been since 1932. Approximately, 20 people from the local community joined the celebration, singing ‘happy birthday’ to the ABC before cutting the Mud cake - appropriate in South Gippsland at this time of year! The neighbouring Hallston, Mount Eccles, Wild Dog Valley Rural Fire Brigade was also in attendance, recognising the ABC’s valuable role during emergency incidents.  

“The Mount Eccles Hall committee was very keen to bring the community together to celebrate the ABC’s 90 years and the role it has in our rural area”, said Nikki Williams, president of the Mount Eccles Hall.

Local designer, Teresa Saviane enthusiastically met the challenge of decorating a cake in tribute to the ABC. In conjunction with local historian Pat Spinks, they sourced photos depicting various Hall events. The photos were reduced, printed on edible frosting, then wrapped around the cake in a ‘film strip’ - linking to the theme of ABC television - and ending at the top of the cake with an historic picture of the Hall.

The idea of celebrating the ABC’s anniversary was suggested by the South Gippsland Shire Council (SGSC) Community Strengthening Team which convenes the Halls Network. This unique network is a forum for sharing information and resources amongst the 46 Halls across the hills of South Gippsland, owned either by SGSC or the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). “The community is very proud of the Mount Eccles Hall; it has a special place in our lives, just like the ABC! said Nikki Williams.

Chats on the Mount, with Christine Corbidge

Introducing our new initiative:

‘Chats on the Mount’, with Christine Corbidge.

We have so many interesting, informative and long standing community members, who can share a wealth of expertise, experience and history.

For instance, Lois Scott, who has lived here her whole life, and has seen many events and defining moments unfold.

Join us next month at the Hall for our Light up the Mount event to see this recorded interview and enjoy a celebratory get together, dinner and dessert.

Put it in your diaries: Saturday 16th of July, 6.30pm.

Games Night Fun!

26th of March - Whether it was a an exciting card game, a boisterous board game, pinning the tail on the donkey, a round of celebrity heads or telling your best joke… an incredibly good time was had by all last night at Mt Eccles Hall!

Drinks, laughter, friendly competition and amiable banter flowed freely.

We were also joined by local South Gippsland Councillor Adrian Darakai who partook in the festivities and shared a joke of his own!

A thank you to all who attended last night, and for your lovely words of praise and thanks. We hope to ‘play’ with you all again soon!

Support from South Gippsland Shire Council

Hello friends and supporters of the Hall. We hope you are all well and have not been too badly impacted by the recent storms, rains and inclement weather. However, if you have, please note we have received this information from James Bremner, the Emergency Management Coordinator at South Gippsland Shire Council, offering the following assistance:

Storm and Flood Recovery Hotline - 1800 560 760, helps people in South Gippsland impacted by the June 2021 storm and flood event to access a recovery support worker, access mental health and wellbeing support and financial counselling.

Primary Producer Grants - Grants of up to $25,000 are now available to help reimburse primary producers for clean-up and recovery activities as a direct result of the June 2021 storms and floods event. To apply for a grant or to find out if you are eligible, visit www.ruralfinance.com.au or call 1800 260 425.

If there are any questions in relation to these opportunities, please feel free to contact James directly via james.bremner@southgippsland.vic.gov.auor 5662 9852.

Thanks everyone & stay posted for our next exciting event coming up on February 26th!