Late friend honoured at Kyabram Town Hall anniversary celebration

By Jemma Jones

Nov 14, 2024

What was once just a historic building, abandoned and dilapidated, is now a vibrant celebration of art, culture and a living history book of Kyabram’s legacy.

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Over 80 art enthusiasts joined the town hall committee on Thursday, November 7, to celebrate a decade since the building was refurbished and transformed into an art gallery.

Since November 7, 2014, thousands of visitors from far and wide have passed through the doors of the Kyabram Town Hall, taking a look at the exhibitions on offer across the three galleries.

Thursday night painted a pretty good picture of Kyabram’s support and dedication to the Allan St building.

**Committee members and community figures flooded the back gallery of the Kyabram Town Hall, where the drinks and memories were flowing.** Photo by Jemma Jones

Attendees filled the back gallery, its walls adorned with Jan Frazer’s textile work in her exhibition ‘Of Material Interest — Fabric-ations’.

Guests mingled over nibbles and glasses of bubbly before settling in to hear fascinating tales about the hall’s rich history from guest speakers.

Patrons were welcomed by Sheila Atley, a town hall committee member, who read out an email from Lyn Hume, a key figure in the redevelopment of the hall in 2014 who was unable to attend the night.

Vicki Neele, a past chairperson for the town hall committee, then presented a concise history of the hall, tracing its journey from conception to the present day.

She concluded by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers for their decade of dedicated service.

**Isobel Harvie spoke about her memories of helping to give the Kyabram Town Hall back to the community.** Photo by Jemma Jones

The microphone then turned to Isobel Harvie, the catalyst for the movement to save the town hall to store her extensive collection of vintage clothing.

She discussed the hall’s history, recounting the moment the Save The Town Hall movement kicked off and also her favourite moments, including when Kyabram hosted the tour of the Melbourne Cup in 2018.

“I would like to thank all those people who assisted in making the town hall a reality — I wish it well for the future and hope it goes on to bigger and better exhibitions,” Mrs Harvie said.

“I believe this is the heart of Kyabram — it is the most beautiful building in town, and it deserves all the love that it has had in the past 10 years.”

In the grand finale, a new name for the gallery shop was unveiled in honour of the late Denise Gemmill — another big name in relation to the town hall’s success, who passed away in 2021.

“She liked small things — little treasures, special items — the unusual things that needed to be looked after and that need to be looked at more closely ... the gallery shop was an accumulation of such little things,” Maria Radnov said.

Ms Radnov explained that after the shop room was flooded, the town hall committee revisited the possibility of that space, and it was just the right size to display those little things that Mrs Gemmill adored so much.

**It was announced that the old gift shop would be repurposed and renamed the ‘Denise Gemmill Gallery’ in honour of a late friend of the Kyabram Town Hall.** Photo by Jemma Jones

“It’s my very great pleasure tonight to let you be the first to know that the town hall committee has decided to name the shop room in honour of our friend ...from now on, it will forever be known as the ‘Denise Gemmill Gallery’.”

Long-serving committee member Anne Churches then cut the cake, concluding the formal proceedings as a party ensued.

Ms Churches said that while the night was about celebrating the past 10 years of the town hall, it was also to celebrate the future 100 years — a future she believed was bright.