A local historian has expressed dissatisfaction with Wyndham council’s new digital history website, claiming key sources have been ignored.
Lance Pritchard of the Werribee District Historical Society (WDHS) said he attended the site’s launch in Hoppers Crossing on Tuesday 14 October.
“To say that I was massively disappointed would be an understatement,” Mr Pritchard said.
“Local history is part of the curriculum for primary and secondary students, and this site appears to provide no information prior to 1900.”
Mr Pritchard said no space was given to European explorers and pioneer efforts such as the Chaffey irrigation colonies, the geodetic survey of Victoria, and the development of the Werribee township among many others.
“The more you know about the history of your community, the more connected you feel, not only with the community but especially a feeling of place,” he said.
“With everything that has occurred in the past in Wyndham, we have much to be proud of and it should be celebrated and recognised.”
He said the history of the Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) base should have been in the launch and that the WDHS were underutilised in the process.
“The consultant obviously has not read books produced by the Werribee District Historical Society, nor consulted with council’s heritage team,” Mr Pritchard said.
“Fortunately, the Werribee District Historical Society has a new history book at the printer which should be available before Christmas. – ‘Wyndham: Iramoo Plains to Thriving City’.”
A Wyndham spokesperson said the website was a work in progress and it will gradually expand.
“Wyndham Libraries Digital Local History Collection is an online collection of digital artefacts and resources,” the spokesperson said.
“This digital resource is an ongoing piece of work that is evolving and will capture more information and histories as time goes on.
“The Wyndham community is welcome to visit the website and contact Wyndham libraries with their feedback.”
To provide feedback: https://history.wyndham.vic.gov.au
