NOVEMBER marks the 200th anniversary of the naming of Oxley Plains by explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell.
To commemorate the milestone, a bicentenary plaque will be unveiled by Independent federal MP for Indi, Helen Haines at the Oxley Memorial Park on Saturday, November 30 at 2pm.
Oxley Residents' Association member and local historian, Neil Brock, said it’s important for the community now to know about these historical events.
“There are not many 200 year anniversary’s in our state for obvious reasons and when we saw this significant milestone approaching, I thought we really should be doing something, and our residents' association agreed," he said.
“We shouldn’t let this occasion pass without recognition."
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Hume and Hovell led an overland expedition discovery in 1824 to find new grazing land for the colony of NSW, prior to the formation of Victoria.
The naming of Oxley Plains and forest is recorded in Hovell’s diary on November 25,1824, as they viewed the plains from a vantage point on Henley Ridge.
The plains were named after John Joseph Oxley, explorer and NSW surveyor at the time.
A settlement developed on the King River known as Oxley and in 1863 Oxley was surveyed and gazetted as a township.
The commemorative bronze plaque will be fitted on a granite pedestal in Oxley Memorial Park, which Mr Brock said is also significant.
"The pedestal was recovered from the 150 year old Oxley Shire Hall in a renovation project 22 years ago and we though it was fitting to use it in this project," he said.
The day will be an opportunity for the community to come together and reflect on the past while enjoying food, musical entertainment and community connection.
All are welcome, for more information contact the Oxley Residents' Association via email at ora3678@gmail.com.
