The Harvey District Creative Arts Centre celebrates 40 years of creativity in the local community

The year is 1983.

Bob Hawke and Brian Burke have each reached the pinnacle of Federal and State politics, Australia II has won the America’s Cup and Ross Glendinning has finished the VFL season with his only Brownlow Medal.

It is also the year the Harvey District Creative Arts Centre was created.

Forty years later, the group is celebrating their milestone anniversary.

Centre president Jenny Devereux said the group was excited about the milestone.

“(We are) not quite believing that we have been running for so long. Where have the years gone?” she said.

The foundations of the group go back to 1982, when a number of community members passionate about the creative arts advocated for the Shire of Harvey to lease the former Catholic church and two school classrooms from St Anne’s Primary School for their use.

It was not until early 1983 that a committee was formed with representatives from the shire and community groups, with the buildings then handed to the committee for use.

The buildings were first used during the Day of the Arts that year, and in no time the craft sales began, with tourist buses making regular trips to see the displays.

Upgrades were made to accommodate a china and pottery kiln, while machine knitting, Chinese cooking and spinning were added to the list of activities.

By the 1990s, management of the centre had become more formal, and the shire officially ended its involvement with the group in 1996. Some activities were replaced with others as trends changed and the centre was refurbished.

While membership numbers have fluctuated since the start of the century, some crafts such as knitting and crochet have made a comeback.

Today the centre remains well used, with sessions being held on Fridays, Saturdays and every second Wednesday.

Ms Devereux has seen quite a few of the changes in her time as a centre member.

“When I first became a member I was a young mum looking to learn patchwork and quilting, now I am a grandmother enjoying making quilts for my grandchildren,” she said.

The centre will hold its first showcase in three years to celebrate the 40th anniversary, after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their biennial exhibition.

Ms Devereux said attendees would enjoy displays of a wide variety of crafts completed by members.

“There will also be a few quilts and cushions and embroidery on display that some founding members completed,” she said.

It will be opened on March 18 at 2pm in the former Catholic church building on the corner of Young and Gibbs, and will run until March 24.

The centre will be open daily between 10am and 4pm, with entry only a gold coin donation.