By Tanya Steele
A community fair will see the centennial anniversary of a determined little town, celebrating history old and new at the beginning of December.
Tecoma will be tuning 100 very soon and the town will celebrate with fun, history and more at Tecoma Primary School on Sunday 1 December from 10am to 3pm.
“It’s getting quite exciting – it will be a wonderful day and it’s about bringing the community together” said Barbara from the Tecoma 100 Committee.
Nearly one hundred years ago, on the land of the Wurundjeri people a tiny pocket town came into being as it’s new train station officially opened.
Previously known as Ferntree Gully, Upwey and Lower Belgrave a boom in residential housing in the area created the need for a railway station and at it’s official opening, Tecoma was born.
Barbara has lived in Tecoma for 40 years and said it will be lovely to celebrate the recent history of the area.
According to a snippet from The Story of the Dandenongs by Helen Coulson, C.T. Alexander, property developer and respected resident, offered a one guinea prize to the winner of a naming competition which gave Tecoma its name.
“Mrs J. Burke of Toorak won with Tecoma, the name of a flower which flourished in the area – today that flower is called the Wonga Wonga vine.” read the extract.
Other suggested names which didn’t;’t make the cut included Eulo, The Bend, Morton, Bruce and Sandell – among many others.
Ferntree Gully News also published a long article on the event on 6 December 1924 which detailed the opening of the station.
“A new era in the development of the Mountain districts was marked on Monday morning last by the official opening of Tecoma railway station,” it read.
Around 300 residents and school children gathered on the train platform that day, as the first train brought passengers into the new station.
The school children reportedly sang a chorus that went as follows:
“Here they come, here they come ;
Hear the merry train bells ring;
Far and near, alh may hear
How with joy we gaily sing.
Every heart bears a part,
As the welcome ones we greet;
Gather here, friends so dear,
Share with us Tecoma sweet.
Merry, Merry train bells.
Merry, Merry train bells.
Filling all the air with joy
In summertime.”
The station caretaker was a Miss Cummins and the ceremony proceedings were taken care of by Cr Alexander, the same article said it had taken ten years since application was made for the railway station but ‘prime movers in the agitation were very persistent and could not be shaken off’.
Celebrations for the Tecoma 100 anniversary have been in full swing all year, with a representative walking in the Lantern festival, images of the Tecoma flower being pressed into concrete out the front of the school and the return of the floral carpet in October.
The floral carpet was a hit with the community – many community and students of the school from decades past attended to see the the floral sensation and was created by the Tecoma Centenary Committee along with help from the Belgrave and Tecoma Township Group and Tecoma Primary School.
The fair will see a jazz band will be playing and the public will be invite to the Tecoma Primary School to celebrate all things Tecoma.
The event will see a history trail, the launch of the school’s Indigenous garden, artefacts, slideshows and photographs on display, local community groups stalls, a Welcome to Country ceremony along with speeches , sports, face painting and a barbeque – with all funds going back to the community.
All are welcome and the community fair will be held on Sunday 1 December from 10am to 3om at the Tecoma Primary School on 1536 Burwood Hwy, Tecoma
