By Stephanie Kemp

A new member for Gerringong Sunrise Rotary

A new year and a new member: at one of our February meetings, Gerringong Sunrise was excited to induct a new member, Steve Simpson.

He was formally welcomed by president Graham St Clair and received his certificate of membership and, most importantly, his barbecue apron.

If you would like to get involved or find out more about Rotary’s projects, local and international, our meetings with visiting speakers and our social activities, please get in touch: [email protected].

100 years of living and holidaying at Werri Beach

At the same meeting, Geoff Webb from the Gerringong and District Historical Society (GDHS) told us about the forthcoming Werri 100 Exhibition.

The inspiration for the project was the poster for the auction for the Werri Beach subdivision found in a drawer at the local museum.

It took place on 30 January 1926 and 18 lots were sold for between 45 and 107 pounds. The original agents’ contracts books have been located at the State Library of NSW and are being lent for the exhibition.

The land was originally part of the Hindmarsh property and was then sold to James Muir Miller who executed the subdivision.

With the Depression and then World War II coming, it was over 20 years before all the blocks found owners and for a long time Werri was a separate village from Gerringong with its own station, Omega, and shops.

Timber for building the new houses was delivered by train to Omega Station and then walked across the wetlands to where it was needed.

The Werri 100 project group put out the call to Werri Beach residents for memorabilia, photos and stories about their houses and the owners with a view to mounting a centenary exhibition.

This treasure trove of information is being digitised to become a permanent historical resource and a 200-page book is being produced to support the exhibition.

It will include local history and the stories of some of the Werri Beach families, like the Medenis family, who migrated from Latvia and set up the local vet practice and a Polish refugee who moved to the area and made the bricks and tiles for a number of the early houses until the council stopped him because he did not have a DA to operate a business from his property!

A number of artists set up their studios there, notably Loyd Rees and John Downton and their work will be reflected in the exhibition.

The main exhibition will be at the Gerringong Museum, but a particular focus will be the Weekend at Werri on 18-19 April.

Activities based at the Gerringong Progress Hall on Pacific Avenue will include a walking tour of the area with signs to point out key features and buildings and a sausage sizzle.