Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I'd like to celebrate the achievements of the Friends of Black Rock House in the wonderful Goldstein electorate. Black Rock House offers a unique view into the 19th century Victorian lifestyle. It was built to offer a retreat from town life by Charles Ebden, who happened to be the first Auditor-General in the great state of Victoria.

Despite nearly being demolished in the Great Depression and again in the late 1960s, Black Rock House survived to remain a permanent reminder of what life was like back in the early settlement days in the colonies. With a redevelopment in 1983, the first stage works received an award of merit from the Australian Institute of Architects. Friends of Black Rock House is comprised entirely of volunteers, who work together with the Bayside City Council to promote Black Rock House's architecture and history, to organise community events and to preserve the historic house for future generations.

Black Rock House is a living monument within the community and is used regularly for community events such as fairs and fetes, which obviously are used to not only support it but also bring the community together. It's included in the Victorian Heritage Register and the Register of the National Estate and is classified by the National Trust. Today Black Rock House flourishes by running tours for school groups and hosting a market on the first Sunday of every month. As well as maintaining the heritage of the house, the Friends of Black Rock House are focused on helping the environment by introducing Boomerang Bags to phase out the use of plastic bags.

I'd personally like to commend President Carolyn Brown, Minutes Secretary Sandra Collins, Membership Secretary Deirdre Lynch, Treasurer Debbie Gruneklee, Assistant Treasurer Peter Millikin and committee members Helga Anderson, Gudrun Gawantka, Eryl Harris, Jayne Richardson and Tracey Scharenguivel. They are doing a fantastic job. Further supporters of Black Rock House include Beaumaris North Primary School, Black Rock Primary School, Siren Marketing and St Joseph's Black Rock. The magnificent thing about the electorate of Goldstein is, of course, that everybody gets to share and enjoy in its beauty, and Black Rock House is a charming reminder of that beauty for the community to enjoy.

Finally, I'd like to pay respects to Mr Mendel Glick, the founder of Glick's bagels, who died at the age of 92 this year. Mr Glick was widely recognised as the father of the European-style boiled bagels in Melbourne. Anyone who's been to Melbourne, particularly around the Elsternwick area, would know Glick's bagels very well, probably to the detriment of their waistlines. Despite persecution during the Second World War, including six years in a concentration camp, he came in 1949 with his wife and two eldest children. They have had immense success with six stores in Melbourne. He epitomised resilience and enthusiasm for life. He was a contributor to the building of the great state of Victoria and Melbourne today. On behalf of the Goldstein community, we share thanks for his wonderful life.

Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for that heartfelt contribution.