Boards give a snapshot of Longwarry's history

Four interpretative boards that highlight some of Longwarry's rich history have been unveiled in the town's Memorial Park.
The project by the Longwarry and District History Group and, for which funding by the state's Public Records Office was granted almost three years ago, went into recess for almost two years due to COVID but has now been successfully completed with the help of a number of district organisations, businesses and individuals.
History group president Russell Ford said co-operation and help of Baw Baw Shire officers, Longwarry RSL, Drouin Down to Earth Garden Centre and Mini Mix that provided the concrete footings on which the boards were erected and Drouin Rotary Club members all played major roles.
It was another example of what can be achieved when people work together, he said.
Two of the boards give a brief history of how the town developed from a small railway siding from which local timber, bricks and beef were shipped out in the early 1880s to it becoming a township by 1900.
The town's name was adopted from the Longwarry Pastoral Lease to the south and is believed to be an aboriginal word meaning twin waterholes.
A third board has a photographic display of some of the history group's collection and a fourth board, located near the cenotaph, details the memorial's history.
More stories and photographs of Longwarry and district's history are available on the history group's Facebook page and website longwarryhistory.org.au