Jeff Huddlestone
Many organisations, families and individuals have a coat of arms and the City of Mount Gambier is no different.
The city’s coat of arms, depicting the region’s natural features, was granted on July 10, 1978, by the The Heraldry Society in London.
It has the motto ‘Cura Et Industria’ -meaning with care and industry- to help guide the way council aims to operate.
Limestone, locally quarried dolomite and sandstone, the Crater Lakes precinct, and pine forests are depicted.
Mount Gambier/ Berrin pioneers Captain James Grant, William James Browne and John Browne are also represented in the graphic.
While the coat of arms was used for more formal events and communications, mayor Lynette Martin said it was an important insignia.
One place it was regularly seen was on her her letter heads and council’s official flag.
“I write to state and federal government ministers who are reminded of the history of Mount Gambier portrayed on the coat of arms,” she said.
One place the coat of arms can be viewed is in the civic centre’s mayoral reception area.
In 1981 an intricate canvas tapestry was made and donated by the now defunct Country Women’s Association (CWA) evening branch.
Former CWA evening branch life member Mary Anderson helped organised the project.
She said the idea was suggested by then mayor Arch Sealy’s wife Lorna.
The tapestry was stored at Ms Anderson’s home, which for more than a year became a hive of activity when people came to work on it.
The now 90-year-old said the project produced some fascinating statistics.
“There were 214 skeins of wool in the design, 380 skeins in the background and some gold and metallic thread,” she said.
“It involved 1245 hours of work, ranging from individual contributions of between 50 and 400 hours.”
Needle work for the intricate and detailed tapestry took about 15 months, beginning on January 6, 1980, and finishing on April 12, 1981.
The new Civic Centre was opened by then Prince Charles on April 23, 1981, and the tapestry was donated a few weeks later on June 22.
Ms Anderson said it was the largest project the club had ever undertaken.
“We did a good job,” she said.
“None of us were experts, we just had to battle our way through,”
Ms Martin said the tapestry was a special thing for the council and city.
“It’s unique to us,” she said.
“It’s lovely to have these pieces which tell the history.”
