New light shed on old Strangways

Derek Reid, Joan Sartori, and Ken James outside the historic former Strangways school building, now a private property, with a copy of their newly published detailed history on Strangways. Photo: Eve Lamb

Eve Lamb
It’s said the gold was once so abundant out Strangways way, beyond Newstead, you could lift it by the shovelful.
So the story goes – and it’s a good one as are many in the new history on Strangways, jointly authored by three dedicated local history buffs.
One of them is longtime Strangways resident, devoted history sleuth Joan Sartori.
Joan has joined forces with fellow history hounds, Derek Reid of Welshmans Reef, and Melburnian researcher Ken James, to co-author the insightful 398 page volume.
“One of my father’s brothers, my Uncle Edgar Ramsey worked on the gold dredges here as a labourer and I can still remember him saying they picked gold up by the shovelful,” Joan says.
Strangways’ golden past, its fortunes and tragedies, are among the wide-ranging aspects to receive attention in the new volume. Read more in today’s Mail…

Eve Lamb
Journalist and photographer Eve Lamb has a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) degree from Deakin University and a Master of Arts (Professional Writing) from Deakin University. She has worked for many regional newspapers including the Hamilton Spectator and the Warrnambool Standard, and has also worked for metro daily, The Hobart Mercury, and The Sunday Tasmanian. Eve has also contributed to various magazines including Australian Cyclist.