An exhibition which recalls the peace celebrations and life following World War I in Geelong and Barwon Region is currently touring to branches across the Geelong Regional Library network.

Remembering the End – Peace celebrations and life after World War I in Geelong and the Barwon Region, was opened to the public on Tuesday 13 November 2018 in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, and has been on display at the Geelong Heritage Centre.

The creation of the exhibition was made possible by funding received through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Armistice Centenary Grants Program. The application for the grant was personally endorsed by the Hon. Richard Marles MP, Federal Member for Corio and Shadow Minister for Defence.

Featuring local stories and images, Remembering the End explores eight themes: Armistice 1918, Peace Celebrations 1919, Welcome Home, Memorials, Starting Again, Supporting Returned Soldiers, Absence and Grief, and The Spanish Flu. Images in the display were sourced from the Geelong Heritage Centre archive, the Australian War Memorial collection and the Geelong Advertiser News of the Week collection.

The project to develop and create the Remembering the End exhibition was undertaken by Geelong Heritage Centre Reading Room and Archives Officer, Caroline Stok, with assistance from the Museums Australia Victoria Roving Curator Program.

Remembering the End is touring to the following library branches in the coming months:

Drysdale: 10 February-8 March

Vines Road: 16 March-12 April 

Torquay: 20 April-17 May

Barwon Heads: 25 May-21 June 

Queenscliff: 29 June - 26 July

Chilwell: 7 September - 4 October