Community
1 April, 2026
Timboon Tales launched
A GROUP of 2025 Year Nine and Ten Extension Humanities students from Timboon P-12 School made it their mission to capture the stories of elderly Timboon residents in their recently published book.
The project was part of the Timboon Agriculture Project’s (TAP) contribution to the Timboon 150 years celebration.
“In March last year, students captured the oral histories and stories of 15 local residents and invited 14 others to contribute narratives and tales of the establishment of the Timboon township,” TAP coordinator Andrea Vallance said.
“The intent was for our young people to record the lives of elders in the community and they have published shared stories of resilience, tragedy, persistence and humour.
“By exploring the experiences of other people, students hopefully learnt more about themselves, developed their writing skills, learnt about the history of the local area, felt more connected to the community and know that they have created part of a legacy.
“Congratulations to the students on this wonderful historical narrative.”
Peter Younis, who wrote the foreword for the book, said the strength of a novel like Timboon Tales came from being compiled from firsthand experience.
“Historical records can take many forms and can come from many sources and while we tend to value more ‘highbrow’ literature, this method deserves equal recognition,” he said.
“Timboon Tales was compiled by students with guidance from their teachers and has its own style that suits this type of storytelling.
“How often do we lament the fact that we didn’t sit down and record ‘Uncle Joe’s memories’?
“The Timboon project did just this, with the people of the district telling their stories in their own way.
“As well as recording stories that will be valued by long term residents, this book can be read by new arrivals to the region as an insight into the people and events that have been involved in the evolution of the community.”
Mrs Vallance thanked all who contributed to the creation of the novel.
“During the book launch, attended by Humanities teacher Michael Braham and students, our contributors were presented with a copy of the book and a certificate,” she said.
“Whilst sharing morning tea, the interviewees and interviewers reviewed the narratives together with lots of memories and laughs.
“Thank you to all who worked with our students and we are grateful for their contributions.
“Copies of the book, ‘Timboon Tales: Celebrating 150 Years’ are available from the Timboon P-12 School office and other local outlets for $20 each.”
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