By Ann Marie Angebrandt
TRUGANINA residents have always been passionate about their place in Wyndham’s history.
When the first developers started eyeing the still largely rural area, descendants of the first pioneers wanted them to know it wasn’t just vacant land.
As soon as those developers or local government officials referred to it as “North Hoppers Crossing” or by other irreverent names, “Trug” residents set them straight.
“If they were going to market it, we wanted them to market it properly,” said honorary secretary of the Truganina Progress Association Wendy Bittans, whose family has lived in the area since the 1850s.
Today, the 30-member association includes offspring of the original well-known pioneering families, such as the Evans, Hopkins, and Robinsons.
At one time, there was a hall, a school, a church, and even a debating society.
Forty-nine houses were lost in a fire in 1969, and many people were so devastated they moved away.
Those who remain still meet to socialise and fight the occasional political battle.
In the past that has included issues about a new cemetery, radio towers, dog and chook farms, and the state of the area’s roads.
“Over the years we’ve been quite successful in our battles, but those things don’t come up as often these days as they did in the 1980s,” she said.
Next month, the group will meet to share and identify their historic photos and celebrate the 84th anniversary of their group.
“We like to get together for more reasons than just for funerals,” she said.
Named after Tasmania’s last Aboriginal woman, Truganini, who was believed to have spent a short time in the area, Truganina is relatively new to Wyndham’s urban sprawl. It has a population of only a few hundred residents, but now includes estates with names such as Wyndham Waters.
It borders the RAAF Base Laverton, soon to be developed into a business area, and the suburb of Cedar Woods.
“Many of the new residents would have no idea this was already quite a vibrant little place,” Mrs Bittans said.
All residents and friends interested in the history of Truganina, Tarneit, Derrimut, and Mount Cottrell are warmly invited to bring along their photos or just show up for a chat and a cuppa.
Mrs Bittans is especially keen to view an old ordinance map that will be coming to the old photo day, that will show some of the pre-war road names.
“During the war, many road signs were taken down to stop them from being identified, and when they were put back up again, some road names had changed,” she said.
The event will take place on Sunday 25 March from 2pm to 4pm at the Progress Association grounds, corner of Dohertys and Woods roads, Truganina.
For more information, contact Mrs Bittans on 9394 1107.
