Ferry's 125 anniversary

  Celebrations were held at Raymond Island over the Melbourne Cup Weekend at Raymond Island with many residents and visitors attending the events that commenced on Friday night with the History Exhibition in the Community Hall open during the weekly Happy Hour. 

Raymond Island History Group proudly supported by the Shire of East Gippsland and Raymond Island Community Association Inc held the celebrations to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the first wooden punt (vehicular service) that commenced in 1889. Ferry driver Ian Lewis decorated the ferry with commemorative 125th banners and the Australian flag as a centre piece with smaller flags along the cabin making an eye-catching sight.

 

With strong winds and rain on Saturday morning, the proposed Ferry Park activities were transferred to the Community Hall where Master of Ceremonies, Peter Markwell, welcomed guests and introduced dignitaries and thanked the sponsors and supporters of the celebrations. Event organiser Andrew Bould gave a short history of the Raymond Island Ferry Service and a Roll Call of Current and Past ferry drivers was made for each of the five vehicular ferries.

The Roll Call was completed with drivers and crews of the water taxi services. Reverend Edie Ashley of the Abbey of St Barnabas read from Midge Beesley’s Raymond Island- Past, Present and Future book written in 1986 with a few paragraphs of the uniqueness of the Island before making the first ‘Blessing of the Ferry’ with Reverend Geoff Pegler from Paynesville Uniting Church. East Gippsland Shire May, Cr Mark Reeves along with two long residing residents of the Island, Mrs Irene Bould and Mr Frank Hailey unveiled the 125th Anniversary Plaque which will be fitted to the ferry at a later date.
 

The cutting of the 125th Anniversary Cake was made by past ferry contractor Rod Wharton, current ferry contractor Ian Lewis and Warwick Hall, President of the Raymond Island Community Association Inc.
 
Following the formalities, a sausage sizzle lunch was provided to a very large crowd and entertained by the local entertainers, Moore Fiddling Around – Kay Moore and Don McColl, Stuart Hughes, Colin Wilson and Martin Richardson. 

The History Exhibition was then open and many enjoyed browsing the extensive ferry history records from the first service of a row boat in 1888, the first punt in 1889 to the present ferry. Several photograph display boards also provided interest to many past Islanders as they recalled their experiences with the ferry service. An interview with Mrs Irene Bould was made into a special feature video by Islander Victor Trofimovs combining history images and an interview with RICA President, Warwick Hall (See the presentation online). 

EGSC David Radford had the Shire archives team search for suitable ferry related artefacts from the Shire’s Archives and a video made by Crib Point Engineering in 1996/7 of the building, transporting and commissioning of the current ferry was found and converted for digital viewing. Paynesville Mens Shed had recently restored an old row boat of similar size to the original 1888 ferry boat and was on display as a replica at the entrance to the Community Hall, and creating many discussions about the early transport to Raymond Island.

The History Exhibition was open on both Sunday and Monday with many local residents from Paynesville and Raymond Island coming to the Community Hall and overall despite the bad weather on the Saturday, the entire weekend was a great success. Raymond Island History Group would like to thank the Shire, all sponsors, supporters and especially the community volunteers who made the celebrations such a great event.