Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with great pleasure that I rise and speak today about the upcoming 50th anniversary of the township of Churchill, which is in my electorate of Gippsland. For those who have not been to Churchill, it is a 10-minute drive south of Morwell and is located in the foothills of the beautiful Strzelecki Ranges. It is home to Gippsland's only university, outstanding schools, strong sporting clubs and active community groups.

Proclamation of the township of Churchill was made by the shire of Morwell on 15 March 1965—and, in 10 days from today, this vibrant community will be marking this milestone with a number of events. Among these will be a combined churches church service, while the Churchill District Community Association will hold a commemorative ceremony and plaque unveiling at the Churchill Town Hall Plaza, complete with displays and activities. The local media outlets are also preparing to celebrate the milestone. My former employer, the Latrobe Valley Express newspaper, will publish a special commemorative booklet and the local Churchill newspaper, the Churchill and District News, will also publish a special edition for the anniversary.

Human settlement in the Churchill area dates back more than 50 years. It was the site of a large communal settlement for the Gunai Kurnai people near the current township well before that. European settlement dates back to the 1840s, with the establishment of Hazelwood Station by Albert Brodribb and William Bennett. But the story about the town of Churchill itself really started in 1962, when the Victorian Government announced it would establish a new town to replace Yallourn and name it Hazelwood. It was expected to have a population of 40,000 by 1990. But, as this progressed, there was a late push to name the town Churchill following the death of Sir Winston Churchill in January 1965. There were pockets of resistance to naming Churchill after the British Prime Minister. However, the then State Minister for Housing, Lindsay Thompson, was robust in his defence of this decision. He told the Victorian parliament:

The move was a fitting one to perpetuate the name of the British Commonwealth's great war-time statesman, whose strong leadership and inspiring oratory were major factors in bringing victory to the forces of freedom.

It proved to be very prudent decision, because over the years the township of Churchill has shown the same doggedness, resilience and reinvention that its famous namesake was renowned for. This was especially the case after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, where the Churchill and district fire claimed 11 lives in the immediate surrounding region. In the face of that extraordinary adversity, the local community remained strong, helping each other out in what was, without doubt, the town's darkest hour. I can still recall attending community events in the region at the time, and the support that the people of Churchill provided to each other at that time was quite extraordinary. The Morwell Historical Society, the Minister for Communications and Australia Post have been able to add an even greater significance to this year's anniversary through a commemorative postmark for the town's anniversary featuring the wartime Prime Minister.

In conclusion, Churchill is a community known for its ability to unite and get things done. I am very proud to be Churchill's representative in the federal parliament and I look forward to continuing to work with this great community in the years ahead. I wish everyone associated with the town of Churchill all the very best for their 50th anniversary celebrations.

Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 193 the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.