Published on Tuesday, 25 May 2021 at 9:00:00 AM
Mr Neil and Mrs Yvonne Gill have generously donated an amazing historical collection to the Shire of Pingelly, comprising predominantly of sulkies and buggies from 1910-1925, for the Shire to preserve as a public display.
Mr Gill has, over a period of 35 years, collected and restored carts, buggies, gigs, sulkies and horse drawn wagons. He originally made contact with the Shire in 2020 to determine if there was interest in the Shire obtaining the collection. This unique opportunity was considered by Council to align with the value of preserving history to shape unique visitor experiences in Pingelly.
This supports the community priorities of diversifying the economy through increased tourism, as identified during community consultation to inform both the Strategic Community Plan 2020– 2030 and the Pingelly Tourism Strategy 2020—24. Following the original contact by Mr Gill, Councillors and staff have viewed the collection and identified potential locations for the display within the Pingelly Townsite.
The Shire is exploring the acquisition of land via a management order from the State Government at no cost, and the possibility of constructing a suitable shed to display the Collection for both historical, community and tourism purposes. Currently, the primary site being considered is the land directly behind the Pingelly Town Hall. This is considered ideal given its close proximity to the Town Centre, Memorial Park and future visitor information space in the Hall.
Council have recently formalised an agreement with Mr and Mrs Gill to reflect the ongoing public purpose and benefit of the collection, that aligns with the intent of the donation from the Gill family.
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