By Christine Grayden
There was much excitement at the Friends of Churchill Island Society (FOCIS) General Meeting this month, as president David Maunders proudly showed off the Commendation certificate received by the society in the Historical Interpretation category of the 2023 Victorian Community History Awards.
David wrote the play "Whispers from the past" with FOCIS member Christine Grayden in 2022 to commemorate 150 years since Amess House was built on Churchill Island by Melbourne City Council Alderman and stonemason, Samuel Amess.
The Norfolk Island Pine growing on the eastern side of Amess House was a gift to Samuel and Jane Amess from Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the Melbourne Botanic Garden's first director, to mark the completion of the 1872 'holiday home' on their island farm retreat.
David directed a group of local actors, who performed the play in front of two full houses in the Churchill Island shearing shed in September 2022. Local film-maker Terry Melvin and a small crew also filmed the play inside Amess House and the historic garden. The film is available to view on both Terry's and the FOCIS YouTube channels.
The Churchill Island book by FOCIS members that inspired the play, "Churchill Island History and Her Story", is for sale at Turn the Page bookshop in Cowes, or via the FOCIS website.
After the meeting it was down to work, as Churchill Island curator Andrea Cleland took FOCIS members through requirements for the museum reaccreditation process. Churchill Island is an accredited museum under the Australian Museum and Galleries Victoria branch Museums Accreditation Program.
FOCIS contributes funds and many hours of volunteer work on Churchill Island, including working bees, restoration and live historic performances. Members had many ideas to share in the working session, giving Andrea lots of information and quite a long 'wish list' from FOCIS.
The FOCIS website has much information about Churchill Island, FOCIS activities and publications, and how to join or make a tax-deductible donation: focis.org.au
The next FOCIS general meeting will be held on Saturday May 4 at the function room in the Churchill Island Visitor Centre. The speaker will be Dan Kallstrom, who is the attractions manager for Churchill Island and the Koala Conservation Centre. All welcome.