Laraine Mahoney Memorial Writing Award

A worthy winner

In December, 2019 Cooroy-Noosa Genealogical & Historical Research Group initiated the presentation of an award for writing, to be presented to a graduating Year Six student at Cooroy State School. This award honoured the memory of our late member and friend Laraine Mahoney and it was funded jointly by Genealogy Group and the Cooroy Book Clubs of which Laraine was an active member.

The Inaugural Award winner was Ashleigh Milnes, a vivacious student who spoke to us about her love of both reading and writing. She said she enjoyed conversations with her Poppy, especially when he tells family anecdotes. Ashleigh spoke of a family relationship to John Macarthur, the pioneer of the Australian wool industry in the early nineteenth century. The Milnes family have been told the story of an ancestor who entertained the famous bushrangers Ned and Dan Kelly to dinner one evening, whilst exchanging horses. Ashleigh has much to write about, if she chooses to record her
family’s history in the future. Her “Letter to the Future” was a component of a body of work completed during the Year Six writing course, upon which students were judged. It embodies elements of family, local and world history.

The award was presented at the school’s end of year Awards Ceremony by Laraine’s
friend Janet Garvey who taught alongside Laraine at Cooroy State School. Laraine’s husband was present along with members of the Research Group.

Read more stories in the May 2020 issue of Missing Link.

100 years of operation

Cooroy-Pomona RSL Sub Branch Celebrates 100 Years of Operation 

In 2020 Cooroy-Pomona RSL Sub Branch is celebrating its 100 years of operation. Our group was asked to research and produce a visual presentation highlighting the progression of the Sub Branch through wars and peacetime. The presentation was created and it revealed the integral part played by the Sub Branch in both Cooroy and Pomona in the Noosa Shire.

Research turned up many hidden gems in long forgotten boxes in the back shed, as well as in old Minute books of Management meetings. Originally scheduled to be held on 29th March 2020, the Centenary Day has been postponed until later in the year due to the Coronavirus health situation. In our next Missing Link edition, we will hopefully feature some of the story of the Sub Branch, as well as photos of the event day.