History not forgotten in Coffs

A COFFS Harbour City Council meeting will be held to allow the councillors to attend one of two historic film screenings.

Jack Gerard being interviewed by Graeme Singleton.

TOMORROW’S Coffs Harbour City Council meeting will be held at 3pm to allow the councillors to attend one of two historic film screenings being held as part of the city’s Sesquicentenary celebrations.

All the seats for both of tomorrow’s sessions are completely sold out, an encouraging sign for organisers of the city’s various 150th anniversary events and celebrations.

Today radio listeners will be able to hear a little about Coffs Harbour history from a man who has put a lot of time and effort into research the district’s history, especially its pictorial history.

Film-maker and former radio broadcaster Graeme Bell will be speaking on Radio 2CHY-Fm at 7.45am today and on radio 2HC at 12.30pm.

Mr Bell has produced a number of historical DVDs, including the Coffs Harbour Story; Jack Gerard the Showman, and a history of the Eastern Dorrigo.

Meanwhile work is proceeding apace on research for the contents of the Coffs Harbour 150th anniversary time capsule, which will be filled with historical information and sealed for opening in 2036, in another quarter-century.

Organiser Nan Cowling said she and her husband, Les, have had a great response from a stall at the Top Town markets on Sunday.

She said among those now carrying out research for the time capsule was a woman from Dorrigo who was researching and writing the story of WH Bailey, who was the first shire president of the new Coffs Harbour Shire formed in 1956, while documents already on hand included an excellent history of Coffs Harbour’s first motel, written by Val O’Doherty.

Mrs Cowling said she hoped wood craftsman Neil Scobie would create the time capsule in the form of a treasure chest and she would like to see Coffs Harbour High School students become involved in contributing to the contents.

Originally published as History not forgotten in Coffs