|  Valma
was born on 8th December, 1921, the second daughter (a sister for Gweneth)
of Edgar (Ed.) and Ann Parker, who were living in Lewisham Rd.,
Windsor.The family moved to Boolarra in 1924, where Mr. Parker worked in a
grocery shop. He stayed for 13 years and Valma held many happy memories of
her days there. The family moved back to Melbourne in 1935 and Mr. Parker
opened a wood- yard; after a year or so, he moved to Williamstown and ran
a fish and chip shop.
Photo, courtesy L.V. Express
In 1938, the family returned to Gippsland and Mr. Parker bought the
"Sunnyside Dairy" at Traralgon, from Seth Billingsley. All
members of the family were involved in this business, the 2 girls helping
out with the pick-up and. delivery of milk, etc. Valma told us about these
times in her article in our Bulletin Vol.31, No.2, May 2000. These were
times of hard work, often in the early hours
of the morning and in all weather. After 11 years, the dairy was sold, in
1949.
Valma attended school in Boolarra and then worked at
various places while the family was living in Melbourne. When she turned
18, in 1939, she set out to fulfil her lifelong wish to be a nurse and
enrolled at the Sale Hospital to train, but a year later her course was
interrupted by illness. When she had recovered but unable to continue her
nursing course, she returned to Traralgon and worked at the front counter
of the Post Office until that position was resumed by a Returned
Serviceman. She then went to work at the old Errington's store.
During the war years, Valma joined in the many
community groups and activities working to raise funds and provide
comforts for the Troops. In 1946 she was declared "Queen of the
Army", featuring in the street parade, celebrations and many other
activities that went on for months.
Noel Plant was demobilised in 1946
and returned home to Traralgon from the Army. Noel and Valma met through a
Fire Brigade Queen Carnival and in 1951 they were married at the Methodist
Church in Traralgon. They set up their home at l14 Grey Street, Traralgon,
and never moved away.
Following the death of Noel's boss,
in 1952 Noel and Valma took over the Franklin Street hairdressing
business, Noel attending to the "barbering" and Valma looking
after the shop. In 1980, Noel decided that it was time to retire and the
business was sold. Valma declared that now she could give more of her time
to community affairs, and so she did!
Valma joined the Traralgon &
District Historical Society, as a Foundation Member, on 6th May, 1962,
and, when Margaret Carlyon moved away, she was appointed Secretary, in
March 1964, a position that she held for the rest of her life. As well as
attending to secretarial duties, she organized the many tours, excursions
and visits to historical sites and properties, visits to-from-with other
Gippsland and beyond historical societies, regional meetings, conferences
of the Centre for Gippsland Studies, meetings and special events of
neighbouring societies, displays, exhibitions of photos and memorabilia
for local events, etc. - the lot! - always lending her support in any way
she could.
She became involved in all the many
local activities, such as the Centenary Coach Re-Enactment in 1965, the
Traralqon 150th year of settlement celebration, the re-siting and
restoration of the "Star Hotel", getting the project of
restoring the 1902 Oldsmobile car (left to the care of the Society by the
late Mr. Roland Hill) started - nearly, but not quite, completed at the
time of her death. She was made a Life Member of the Society in 1974.
in 1989, Valma was a recipient of the
Australia Day Citizen of the Year award by the City of Traralgon, the
Citation from then Mayor Trevor Howe reading, "Valma, for your
consistent and dedicated efforts and achievements within the local
community.,.."
The Royal Historical Society of
Victoria honoured her with their Award of Merit on 24th November, 1992,
and Valma's scrap book includes many letters of nomination and support
from neighbouring historical societies, Mr. John Adams (R.H.S.V.), the
Walhalla Heritage League and many personal letters and cards of
congratulation.
The next award came in Auqust 1995,
when she was declared winner of the weekly Woman of the Year Award by
"New idea" and the Office of the Status of Women, on the
nomination of the Walhalla Heritage League, supported by the Traralqon
& District Historical Society.
The Australian Red cross made Valma a Life Member and bestowed on her the
Australian Red Cross Service Award "for exceptional, continuous and
unselfish devotion to duty", on 8th May, 1997, when she had been a
member of the Traralgon unit for 14 years, in particular concentrating her
services on the Red Cross Calling appeals. She organized all aspects of
the annual collections, from recruiting collectors, contacting businesses,
schools and groups, preparing area maps, receiving and collating
collection moneys from the Callers, and even including a round or two of
her own canvassing when there was a lull in demand at the centre, to help
in covering the whole of the area; she instigated a fun-run event to help
raise funds for the Appeal. She also helped out at the Blood Bank and
delivered Meals on wheels.
Valma was a "Carer" at the
St. James' Church Day Centre for the elderly on Fridays, a volunteer
collector for Salvation Army Red Shield appeals and a Friend of
Tarra-Bulga National Park, regularly volunteering her services to staff
the Visitors' centre during the weekend.
She was a former committee member and
volunteer worker at "Old Gippstown", Moe, undertaking regular
Sunday duty, sometimes accompanied by her mother, both suitably attired in
heritage costume, making and serving tea and scones freshly baked in the
wood-fired stove, she was a long-standing member of the Latrobe Valley
Field Naturalists' club, attending meetings and excursions, and she was a
member of the central Gippsland Retired Persons' Association.
Valma was a member of the Latrobe
City citizens' advisory and advocacy network and participated in the
council's town planning decisions, she took an active interest in all
facets of community affairs.
Valma's interest in Walhalla stemmed
from her family history. Her article in our Bulletin Vol,ll, No.4
(September 1980) tells that her greatgrandfather, William Parker
(1830-1894) came to Australia in 1852. He moved to the goldfields and
worked first at Spring Gully. He was married at Sandhurst (Bendigo) in
1859. He and his family moved to Melbourne and, later on, with their 3
children, travelled on horseback to Walhalla. He was appointed Mine
Manager of the Wellesley Mine in February 1869 and was later Mine Manager
of the Long Tunnel Extended Mine. He retired from mining in 1887 and
purchased the Star Hotel at walhalla. Following his death in 1894, the
hotel was managed by his son, William Charles Parker, until it was sold in
1897. William Parker's youngest son, Arthur Sydney Parker, was father of
Edgar Richard Parker (his eldest son and Valma's father). Arthur Parker
and his family left Walhalla in 1910 when the gold started to fail. This
explains Valma's deep interest in Walhalla and its history.
In nominating Valma for an Order of
Australia award, the President of the Walhalla Heritage League Inc, said
that she had been a member of the League for over 15 years, she was
secretary of the League and also Editor of the League's Newsletter that
goes all over Australia. "Valma plays an integral part in the
business of the Heritage League. Our organization plays a very active role
in the preservation and restoration of the historic town of Walhalla, a
function that is only possible with the dedicated support of people like
Valma." She organized regular work days that utilized the services of
"offenders" on community-based orders under the Department of
Corrective Services, for maintenance and development of the town area; she
also made, on the wood stove, soup and hot meals for her "naughty
boys", along with fresh biscuits and slices. One offender said.
"The trouble is with coming here, you get so full that you can't
work", while another satisfied customer told her that he wouldn't be
seeing her any more because he had
served his time but he would miss her cooking. Valma was also a committee
Member of the Walhalla Post and Telegraph Office management committee from
1991, attending meetings and working bees as well as being rostered for
duty to keep the Post Office open, arranging for other Heritage League
members to fill the roster.
Valma was awarded the Order of
Australia Medal in the Australia Day 2000 Honours List, for her community
services, and received her Medal from the Governor at Government House on
4th May, 2000.
These activities might suggest that
there was no time to spare but Valma dearly loved to get away into the
mountains of Gippsland, thoroughly enjoying trips with Noel and friends
camping beside the river at crooked River, riding on the back of sturdy
4WDs up the steepest tracks with the Traill family who recounted the
colorful history of the early settlements at Wonnangatta, crooked River,
Dargo, etc., and the cattlemen's stories. She walked into Lake Tali Karng
for an overnight camp under the leadership of the late Charlie Noble, and
on another occasion walked with a group of friends from Mt. Hotham along
the razorback track to Mt. Feathertop. Another trip, into the mountains
included a visit to the historic old school house at Suggan Buggan.
Valma suffered multiple injuries when
she was struck by a vehicle in Grey Street, Traralgon, in July 2000 and.
died at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne on 17th August. Her funeral service
took place at the Traralgon Uniting church on 21st August, attended by a
very large congregation. Her many friends and associates, in so many
fields of service, will always remember her for her generous service to
the community and happy smile, especially our Members who have benefited
so much from her energetic commitment to local history over a very long
period.
A Memorial Garden has been set up at
Walhalla near the Band Rotunda in the main street, with bulbs and annuals
to ensure that there will always be flowers in bloom. A reading at the
dedication service summed up her life : "That person is a success who
has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect
of intelligent people and the love of children; who has filled her niche
and accomplished her task; who leaves the world better than she found it;
who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express
it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best she had."
To Noel, to Gweneth, and to her
nieces and nephews, and all of her extended family we give our most
sincere sympathy.
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