Our CommunityAmphitheatre

Primary School

AcknowledgementsThis booklet is about some of the people in the Amphitheatre Community interviewed

in 2011 by the students of Grades 4/5/6 at Amphitheatre Primary School:Jayden Anderson, Dalton Brodie

Hope Brodie, Jessica DridanDaniel Howell, Kade Lusby

Thanks to the people who helped us by sharing their knowledge and information about Amphitheatre and for letting us take their photos and to those who helped out

by taking photos.Thanks also to Ms Parmenter (School Principal) and Deanna Neville (project facilitator

from St Luke’s) for helping us put out booklet together.

This project is proudly supported by the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo (Maryborough with Avoca Parish) and St Luke’s.

Project developmentThis project began with learning how to take photos with Deanna.

Through learning photography we thought it would be good to show off our skills and decided to make a photo story booklet about some

of the people around Amphitheatre.

Each student is in it as well as one person in Amphitheatre who is special to them.

Through the stories we collected and told, our booklet shows what we all think about Amphitheatre and what’s important about our

community - a town where everybody pitches in.

Our CommunityContentsAcknowledgementsMary DridanRod LusbyLiz HowellIvy RivettStacey BrodieRaymond AndersonPat DridanHope BrodieKade LusbyJayden AndersonJessica DridanDalton BrodieDaniel Howell

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“Living here so long and knowing all the

history and people; it just makes everything so

special to me.”

Mary was excited to move to Amphitheatre when she got married to a local man called

Kevin in 1951. When she moved here she instantly fell in love with the wonderful, cheerful and friendly community. Mary’s favourite place in the town is her own home. Not only is it her own house, but she can see everything that is happening in the

Story and photo by Jessica Dridan

Mary Dridan

Our Community

deep freezers. It helped a lot of families store food so they didn’t have to shop every day. Then the school bus started. The mothers could go away to work and not worry about their children getting ready in the morning and picking them up again. It also meant not as many trips to the lolly shop!! When everything seemed to be going good the 24hr supermarkets started in the bigger towns and all the little shops couldn’t compete, so the IGAs in Amphi closed. In farming they’re mostly sheep as the ground wasn’t built for cattle back then. Mary’s husband, Kevin, was a sheep farmer. If you were a farmer you were mostly likely to be a full time farmer. The farmers had a lot of land so they could hire at least three to four men. There were also a lot of rabbits and this gave most farmers the pips!!! Mary said that even if she was offered another house somewhere else she would stay in Amphi for the rest of her life. Mary truly loves living in Amphitheatre.

town. Mary’s idea of a nice town is a friendly community, a clean town and helpful people, and that is what Amphi is. Not to mention it has heaps of history. Mary has lived here so long that it has really grown on her. She loves Amphitheatre more than the place she was born in. Mary doesn’t think she makes a difference, but we all know different!! She helps out at the school, church, working bees and the park. Wherever anything needs a little boost to keep it going is where Mary likes to be. She also helps new people in the community. She is a great friend for everyone. When Mary first moved here there where two little supermarkets, a separate post office, a church, a school and the CFA. One year at the school there was 78 kids and 78 more to come on!! A big change in Amphitheatre was the motor cars. When Mary first arrived in Amphi the people only really used them on special occasions, on other times they just walked or rode their bike. Another thing that changed Amphi was the 7

placeMy

favourite

Our CommunityRodney John Lusby was born and raised in Amphitheatre and has stayed his whole life. Rod stayed in Amphitheatre because of the sheep farm which he decided to stay and work on. Then he met Helen Elizabeth Hamer who lived in Avoca with her mum and her dad and Rod married Helen. Rod’s favourite place in Amphitheatre is on his sheep farm.Over the years Rod has been very involved in the community. He has been a member of the fire brigade for over 30 years and has now taken on the role of Captain. Rod likes Amphitheatre because the area is picturesque. Rod also likes Amphitheatre because the town is quiet and there is plenty of open space. Rod thinks that most of the people in Amphitheatre are friendly.

Rod LusbyStory and photo by Kade Lusby

“Amphitheatre is picturesque, quiet, and most of the people are

friendly.”

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So picturesque

“It’s a great place to live and the people are

friendly and genuine.”

Our CommunityLiz Howell was born and raised in Geelong and has made a big move from Geelong to Amphitheatre and has married Scott Howell. She has been living here for about 16 years. Liz believes Amphitheatre is a great place to live. The people of Amphitheatre are friendly and genuine. Liz got to know the people of Amphitheatre when her children started at the primary school. She likes to volunteer at the school and she believes that the school is a big part of the town. It has a long history and she enjoys learning about it. And Amphitheatre is so picturesque.

Liz HowellStory and photo by Daniel Howell

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The best place to live

Our CommunityIvy Rivett moved from Warrenmang to Amphitheatre because of Jim who had lived in Amphitheatre all his life and they got married. They lived next door to where Jim was raised and Ivy still lives in the same house at the age of 90. Extra rooms were added on to the house when the kids were born. The extra rooms came from the old pub in Avoca near the river. Ivy thinks Amphitheatre is the best place to live. She likes the people who live here and all the good they do around the town.

Ivy RivettBy Dalton Brodie

“I like the people who live here in Amphitheatre and all the good they do

around the town.”

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Happy to be back home

Our CommunityStacey went to Amphitheatre school when she was a kid. She moved away from Amphitheatre but when she moved back to Amphitheatre she was happy to be back home. Stacey likes the Amphitheatre community because they stick together to help everyone get things done. Stacey likes living in Amphitheatre because she grew up in Amphitheatre.

Stacey BrodieStory and photo (with Billy) by Hope Brodie

“The community sticks together to help everyone

get things done.”

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Helping the

“I’ve spent all my life in Amphitheatre. It’s pretty

special to me.”

community

Raymond Story by Jayden Anderson Photo by Leanne Anderson

Amphitheatre is special to Ray because he has spent all of his life in Amphitheatre. Ray started beekeeping at the age of 16 and now Ray is 80 years old and he is still doing beekeeping now. Ray helps the community out by suppling honey for raffles and also Ray sells honey to people in the community that would like some honey. Ray always supported Amphitheatre Primary School in raising money and fundraising for diseases such as cancer.

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AndersonOur Community

“I like the quiet and peaceful lifestyle, and the people of Amphi are always ready to help out if needed”.

Story and photo by Jessica Dridan

Pat Dridan

So many stories

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Our CommunityPat Dridan loves to live in Amphitheatre because of its quiet and peaceful lifestyle. He also likes Amphi for its people that are always ready to help out if needed. During the day he likes going down to check sheep and things like that, but most of all he likes chasing rabbits and gold the best! A lot of the local kids love going down to Pat’s place just to get a chance to ride the bikes. There are many different bikes; old fashion ones, tricycles, a bike for two and loads more.When Pat was at school at Amphitheatre Primary the train would always be coming in and out of the station, which was just behind the school. There also was an orchard next to the train station and five days a week apples and other sorts of fruit got carted off in a horse and cart. There were three saw benches also near the train track, where wood was cut and then sent off to Melbourne. A trolley would come in six days a week from Maryborough. In Pat’s

childhood to go to Maryborough and back it cost only fifteen cents. Once Pat and his friends went down to the train track where a train was been unloaded. The boys helped out, but they climbed in to get some more stuff out when a guard came by and closed the door on them. They yelled at first, but then stopped after a bit (I’m guessing because they could get out of school!), but the train driver had heard them already and stopped to let them off. Pat and his friends were a little disappointed as they were ready and raring to go to Ararat and get out of school.Nowadays Pat lives near the pub. His shed is filled with so many things it is hard to believe that they all fit in it! Pat nearly always knows first what is happening and when. He could tell so many stories. Pat is a big part of Amphitheatre and many are sure it just wouldn’t be the same without him.

Because it is peaceful

I like Amphitheatre because it is peaceful and it has nice people here. In Amphitheatre there is heaps of space and I like riding my motor bike on weekends and after school some times. When I ride my motor bike I hear birds and leaves falling to the ground. Hope Brodie

Story by Hope BrodiePhoto by Kathy Parmenter

“...I hear birds and leaves falling to the ground.”

Our Community

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It’s special to me

Amphitheatre is special to me because down by the creek at our house my brother and I made a little hut in the trees. We made a little fire next to it and sent it blazing in a couple of minutes. We did make a flying fox but when the recent floods came the rope connected to it got all tangled in the tree and flood rubbish. We made a ladder to get up the tree but we never really used it. We used to go up to the hut a lot when we were building it but now it’s finished we don’t go up there much. So now when we go up there we light the fire and just sit down in our comfortable chairs listening to the fire. The hut doesn’t look so good because we haven’t been up there for ages.

Kade LusbyStory by Kade LusbyPhoto by Helen Lusby

“We just sit down in our comfortable chairs

listening to the fire.”

Our Community

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“I love Amphitheatre because there is a lot of

land for farming and it’s a peaceful place to live in.”

I like the farming

Our CommunityThe thing that I like most about Amphitheatre is the farming. I can do many different things on the farm.I like Amphitheatre because it is a good sheep farming country. I especially like bringing in the sheep to help Dad out. The sheep are always nice and fat. And I enjoy drenching and backlining. One good thing about sheep is that you can easily make money from lambs as lambs don’t take as much time to grow up to take to market as cattle do.I love Amphitheatre because there is a lot of land to have sheep on and Amphitheatre is peaceful place to live in.

Jayden AndersonStory by Jayden AndersonPhoto by Dalton Brodie

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Most of all I love my special place

Jessica DridanStory by Jessica Dridan

Photo by Paul Dridan

“I love Amphi for the kind, helpful people and because it is the most

beautiful place.”

Our Community

with blankets and roast marshmallows on the warm fire. In autumn all the trees’ leaves turn purple, red, orange and yellow. This is the most beautiful time. In spring all the colours are bursting and all the new animals are being born. Up on top of the cliffs the scenery is beautiful. When it’s quiet all you can hear is the water trickling, the trees rustling and a slight wind against your face. If you are lucky you can find frogs, mice, rabbits, very often spiders and little pretty birds calling out to the world. Summer is the best time in this wonderful, adventurous place. This is because the water is only trickling and it makes a beautiful noise. There are more rare animals you wouldn’t see in the winter and the sun is always shining. My favourite place is down at the creek. Down at the creek below the cliffs, watching the world change. This is my special place and it will be forever and ever.

I love Amphitheatre. It is very special to me. I love Amphi for many reasons. One is for the kind, helpful people. Another reason is because it is in the most beautiful place. The trees are beautiful, the hills are huge and at sunrise or sunset it is the best place a person could be. The sight is breath- taking. The animals are also beautiful. There are tiny, pretty birds that you would never see in Melbourne or even Ballarat. But most of all I love my special place. This place makes Amphi everything to me. It makes me feel relaxed and like nothing can go wrong and that is what I hope, nothing will go wrong in Amphi. At my Nanna’s (Joy Dridan) place there are cliffs made of rock. Below is the Glenlogie Creek. A big tree has fallen over the creek, making a hut with its roots. In the summer you can sit on rocks with your feet dangling in the cool water. In winter you can huddle up under the hut 27

I like being in Amphitheatre ...

I see chooks, poo, water, food, egg- boxes and hay. I see Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, Isa Browns, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Speckled Sussex, Frizzles, Cross Breeds, Silkies, Turkeys and a Bantam Cross Light Sussex. All of them are chook breeds except the turkeys! I like chooks because they lay eggs. There is enough space for the chooks to run around in Amphitheatre. That’s why I like being in Amphitheatre and the chooks do too!

Dalton BrodieStory by Dalton BrodiePhoto by Jayden Anderson

“... and the chooks do too!”

Our Community

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The best town ever

“The best thing is that the lanes and the railway all lead to Amphitheatre.”

Our CommunityThe thing that I like about Amphitheatre is all the lanes and the railway line to ride my motorbike on.I like the railway line because there are no trains to watch out for. The railway is also very slippery and muddy when it rains. In some spots it can be hard to control. The lanes are good because I enjoy it when the country air is rushing past. The best thing about the lanes and railway is that it all leads to Amphitheatre. I love Amphitheatre so much because everyone is so caring and I think Amphitheatre is the best town ever.

Daniel HowellStory by Daniel HowellPhoto by Harry McPhan

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For further information

If you would like any information about this project or the services associated with it, please contact:

St Luke’s, Maryborough

T: 5460 4144St Luke’s Community Capacity Building Unit, Bendigo

T: 5430 1203

Project Facilitator: Deanna NevilleFocus on Community

T: 0428 751 090

W: www.focusoncommunity.org

This booklet can be viewed electronically at:www.issuu.com/focusoncommunity/docs