I was thrilled to be recognised in the 2019 Victorian Community History Awards. The Awards ceremony was held on Monday, October 14 at the Arts Centre, and it was so much fun. You can read about all the winners, here, on the Royal Historical Society of Victoria website, https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/2019-victorian-community-history-awards-winners/My Carlo blog was in the Multimedia section. The Historical Interpretation Award section was also Carlo related - CO. AS. IT, the Italian Historical Society won the category for their exhibition Carlo Catani: Visionary, Creator, Genius, which was on display from December 2018 until March 2019.
I am super excited to be honoured, but more than that I feel that that Carlo is getting the recognition that he deserves by these awards - we cannot underestimate the importance of Carlo's role in the development of Victoria and he deserves far more credit that what he has. I have done a few talks on Carlo and like to use this very neat summary of his works -
After more than forty-one years of public service that never ended with his retirement, through surveying and direct design, contracting, supervision, and collaborative approaches, perhaps more than any other single figure, Carlo Catani re-scaped not only parts of Melbourne, but extensive swathes of Victoria "from Portland to Mallacoota", opening up swamplands to farming, bringing access to beauty spots, establishing new townships, and the roads to get us there.
His park designs were sought after from Albert Park to Warragul, and from the Castlemaine Springs to the St. Kilda Foreshore. His flood protection schemes ranged from the Murray to the Yarra. He envisioned the Yarra Bend Boulevard, a Port Melbourne to Sorrento scenic motorway, he opened up the Mount Buffalo Plateau, and gave us access to Arthur's Seat, Mt. Donna Buang, and the Grampians' McKenzie Falls. That's from my friend and research colleague, Isaac Hermann. It was Isaac who invited me to join the Committee to erect a headstone on Carlo's unmarked grave at the Brighton Cemetery (read about this here) and this renewed my interest in Carlo and inspired me to start this blog. Isaac's a treasure - supportive, encouraging, enthusiastic, generous in sharing his own research and passionate about history.
Not only was Carlo visionary and well respected, but by all accounts he was amiable, generous and kind. I have many favourite quotes about what people thought of Carlo, but the one I like best, relates, not surprisingly (as that is where I was born, raised and live) to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - This is from Niel Gunson, from his book The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire Dr Gunson quotes the memories of H.J. Boxshall of Yallock - Mr Catani was well known to most of the men employed on the drain work, no matter how far away or how small the drain, he would insist on having a look at it to see how the work was progressing. He got to know many of the men by name and would sit on the drain bank and have his lunch with them. These trips meant long rides on horseback and often longer distances on foot, but it was all in a day's work for Mr Catani.
