In 2006, a young George Blum helped plant a sapling at the Glen Forbes Recreation Reserve.
Twenty years on, George can stand beneath the tree.
Twenty years on, George can stand beneath the tree.
By Rob Parsons
THERE are moments in small communities that pass quietly but matter deeply. The Glen Forbes Annual Picnic on Sunday 15 March was one of those moments – not just a gathering of families but a changing of the guard. To understand why that matters, you have to understand the place itself.
The Glen Forbes Recreation Reserve has a history stretching back more than a century. Around 1910, the Victorian Government acquired the land for railway purposes associated with the Nyora to Wonthaggi line. Much of that land, however, remained unused.
THERE are moments in small communities that pass quietly but matter deeply. The Glen Forbes Annual Picnic on Sunday 15 March was one of those moments – not just a gathering of families but a changing of the guard. To understand why that matters, you have to understand the place itself.
The Glen Forbes Recreation Reserve has a history stretching back more than a century. Around 1910, the Victorian Government acquired the land for railway purposes associated with the Nyora to Wonthaggi line. Much of that land, however, remained unused.
In 1955, two local men, Bernard Shackelford and Vincent Watson, saw an opportunity. They approached the Victorian Railways with a proposal to build a tennis court on the unused land. After two years of negotiation, a lease was granted in June 1957 for the sum of £3 per year, formalising what would become a focal point for the community.
Over time, that early vision faded. By the late 1980s, the area had become overgrown and neglected. The tennis court was in poor condition, fencing broken, and the reserve largely unused.
It was not until the early 2000s that a new generation stepped in.
Encouraged by local business owners and supported by Bass Coast Shire Council, a group of residents came together to revive the site. In February 2006, the clean-up began. Locals with machinery pitched in. Fences went up. The court was rebuilt and lined. A toilet was installed, a gazebo constructed, and trees planted around the boundary. The council added a playground, and the reserve evolved into a multi-use community space, including the now well-used off-leash dog area.
One of those trees tells its own story. In 2006, a young George Blum helped plant a sapling at the reserve. Twenty years on, that same tree now stands tall and George, now grown, can stand beneath it. It is a simple but powerful reminder that what is built by one generation quite literally grows into the next.
That work did not happen by accident. It happened because people put their hands up.
As recorded in the Sentinel Times in March 2017, the committee at that time – Roger Bailey, Bronwyn Jordian, David Blum, Remo Brusamarello and Peter Brown – had already been serving for several years and were calling for the next generation to step forward.
David Blum, who would go on to serve many years as president, summed it up simply: creating a place for people to meet and bring the community together is “pretty special”. He was right.
Over time, that early vision faded. By the late 1980s, the area had become overgrown and neglected. The tennis court was in poor condition, fencing broken, and the reserve largely unused.
It was not until the early 2000s that a new generation stepped in.
Encouraged by local business owners and supported by Bass Coast Shire Council, a group of residents came together to revive the site. In February 2006, the clean-up began. Locals with machinery pitched in. Fences went up. The court was rebuilt and lined. A toilet was installed, a gazebo constructed, and trees planted around the boundary. The council added a playground, and the reserve evolved into a multi-use community space, including the now well-used off-leash dog area.
One of those trees tells its own story. In 2006, a young George Blum helped plant a sapling at the reserve. Twenty years on, that same tree now stands tall and George, now grown, can stand beneath it. It is a simple but powerful reminder that what is built by one generation quite literally grows into the next.
That work did not happen by accident. It happened because people put their hands up.
As recorded in the Sentinel Times in March 2017, the committee at that time – Roger Bailey, Bronwyn Jordian, David Blum, Remo Brusamarello and Peter Brown – had already been serving for several years and were calling for the next generation to step forward.
David Blum, who would go on to serve many years as president, summed it up simply: creating a place for people to meet and bring the community together is “pretty special”. He was right.
At this year’s picnic, that contribution was recognised. Retiring president David Blum was thanked for his long service and leadership, a quiet but meaningful acknowledgment of years of steady work. Just as importantly, the call made back in 2017 has now been answered.
A new committee has stepped forward to take on responsibility for the reserve, with Glenn Stacey as president, supported by secretary Ralph Schmidt, treasurer Barry Clarkson and committee members Roger Bailey, Peter McDermott and Leigh Caffery.
Speaking at the picnic, Glenn Stacey acknowledged the work that had gone before and the responsibility now being taken on. “We’re stepping into something that’s already been built by the community,” he said. “Our job is to keep it going, keep it maintained, and make sure it continues to be a place people want to come to.”
In a small community of fewer than 400 people, that willingness to step forward is no small thing.
Because the reality is simple: without local volunteers, places like this do not run themselves. Responsibility shifts elsewhere, and something of the community’s character is lost.
Events like the annual picnic remind us what is at stake. Families gathered, children played, conversations flowed and the reserve once again fulfilled its purpose as a meeting place for the district.
A new committee has stepped forward to take on responsibility for the reserve, with Glenn Stacey as president, supported by secretary Ralph Schmidt, treasurer Barry Clarkson and committee members Roger Bailey, Peter McDermott and Leigh Caffery.
Speaking at the picnic, Glenn Stacey acknowledged the work that had gone before and the responsibility now being taken on. “We’re stepping into something that’s already been built by the community,” he said. “Our job is to keep it going, keep it maintained, and make sure it continues to be a place people want to come to.”
In a small community of fewer than 400 people, that willingness to step forward is no small thing.
Because the reality is simple: without local volunteers, places like this do not run themselves. Responsibility shifts elsewhere, and something of the community’s character is lost.
Events like the annual picnic remind us what is at stake. Families gathered, children played, conversations flowed and the reserve once again fulfilled its purpose as a meeting place for the district.
Looking ahead, the next major event will be the Glen Forbes Mid-Winter Dinner, expected to be held at the Kilcunda Bass Football Club rooms in July 2026, with around 150 people anticipated. Like the picnic, it is more than just an event – it is part of the rhythm of the community.
The names on the committee may change. But the purpose and the spirit behind it remains the same.
Moments like these are not easily captured in words alone. The scenes from this year’s picnic of families gathering, volunteers at work, and long friendships on display tell their own story of a community that continues to show up for itself.
And in places like Glen Forbes, that continuity matters.
The names on the committee may change. But the purpose and the spirit behind it remains the same.
Moments like these are not easily captured in words alone. The scenes from this year’s picnic of families gathering, volunteers at work, and long friendships on display tell their own story of a community that continues to show up for itself.
And in places like Glen Forbes, that continuity matters.
Volunteers at work, Glen Forbes Annual Picnic, March 2026