Historical Society

The Hills District
Historical Society Inc.

History

Compiled by Noelene Pullen, 2010

The Hills District Historical Society was founded in July 1967, with president Councillor Fred Caterson and secretary Bob Martin. These two, being friends and neighbours, had discussed the need for a local historical society and were the ones largely responsible for the meeting of 44 people, in the Conference Room of the Council Chambers on Old Northern Road Castle Hill that launched the new Society. They were concerned about the loss of historic buildings and the need to preserve the built and written heritage of the local area.

The Society was later incorporated on 13 November 1987. Some of the activities of society members over the years include: - attending monthly meetings with guest speakers on heritage matters; being speakers for other groups; conducting walks and tours of the local area; erecting and unveiling commemorative plaques at historic sites in the Shire; arranging photo displays in local shopping centres and for special events such as Australia Day, 1988 Pioneer Gathering, Castle Hill Show, Orange Blossom Festival, 200 years of Castle Hill celebrations in 2001; urging preservation of local heritage buildings (including Castle Hill Schoolhouse) and sites (including Castle Hill Heritage Park for which the Society has campaigned for over 20 years); collecting, creating (photographs, oral histories and books) and organising information and resources for the library and museum collections, and manning the Museum regularly.

The following people have been recognised for their valuable contributions to the Society over more than 10 years by being made Life Members: - Fred Caterson, Bob Martin, Gladys Davies, Jim Scherrenberg, Harry Carr, Gwen Millhouse, Mac McCoullough, Noelene Pullen, Lorna McCluskey, Pam Wilson, Jim Symes, Pam Trimmer, and Ian Nowland.

In 1974 the Museum was established in the basement or Dugout of the former Castle Hill RSL Club in Arthur Whitling Castle Hill Park with the entrance facing Old Castle Hill Road. The information resources of the Society were added to the catalogue of The Hills Shire Library in 2001 via a Centenary of Federation Community Heritage Grant. The Museum closed at the old Castle Hill Community Centre on 31 October 2004. Their information resources were accessible at a cottage in Castle Hill Showground in 2005, with artifacts being stored in a shed at Bella Vista Farm awaiting a purpose built facility.

From 2006 until 2009 the museum collection and library were housed temporarily in a building at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre Castle Hill Stores courtesy of the Powerhouse Museum. The Hills Shire Councillors voted unanimously in October 2009 for the Society to have a new home at Councils Balcombe Heights Estate Seven Hills Road Baulkham Hills.

The Hills District Historical Societys new Museum in Building 10 (originally Cottage Fidelity CD Girls at William Thompson Masonic School) was officially opened on 12 November 2010.