The festive season is over, February has arrived and the first meeting for 2006 has been and gone.

Australia was very warm with fires not far from Traralgon and our friends at Tyers, Yallourn North, Erica and Walhalla had hoses in one hand and mops in the other to keep the embers at bay. Although some fencing, sheds and grassland burnt, no homes were lost, which was a relief to us all.

Making Tracks was nominated for the Latrobe City’s Community Award on Australia Day. This was a great achievement for the societies, rail enthusiasts and all who volunteered and supported the 150 years of rail in Victoria celebrations.

In May the Combined Gippsland Historical Groups will meet with Heyfield hosting this year’s meeting. In September the Victorian Support Group of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria will meet and although the venue is still to be confirmed, we hope Yallourn North will be their meeting place.

Thelma has arranged an excursion to Melbourne in March. One must thank Thelma for the time and effort she put into selling our calendars, our major fundraiser for the year.

Adele and Lois have put time into making a program for this coming year and a trip to Parliament House to celebrate 150 years of State Government in Victoria is on the agenda. Whilst we are talking about celebrations, the Traralgon City Band celebrate their 125th birthday in July. They are looking for photos, newspaper cuttings and any mementos that people may have.

The Annual General Meeting will be held in March and we are looking for a secretary and treasurer, so please give these positions some thought – you may be the person for these vacancies.

We have another busy year ahead. Till we meet again,