The news of today is the history of tomorrow – Greater Dandenong’s newly-inducted Living Treasure Christine Keys is fond of saying.
For many years, the renowned local historian has been uncovering, sharing and preserving Greater Dandenong’s stories of the past.
You can count on Keys’s keen research behind any historical exhibit or storyboard in the area.
Such as tales of the settlers of Irish, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese and Afghan descent. Or the interpretive signs in Greater Dandenong’s laneways.
Currently there’s a display on Dandenong Town Hall’s rich, varied stories and guises.
Keys got hooked due to her ancestors’ great local contributions dating back to the 19th century.
They settled in the pastoral district now occupied by Keysborough. Their deeds include founding the Dandenong Show, the Methodist Church built on Chapel Road in 1876 and the Dandenong Town Hall built in 1890.
“My ancestors were practically in everything for a long period of time, not just one but several generations involved in Council, the agricultural society, the local churches.
“When I grew up, all of these people were around me.
“I was fortunate and privileged to grow up and spend the majority of my life where I was born, where my parents were born and my grandparents were born, as well as my aunties and uncles and cousins.
“That’s a privilege.”
One of the grand Dandenong town hall’s three foundation stones bears the name of her ancestor John Keys, a state MLA and secretary of the then-shire and Roads Board.
At the time, he was on the Mechanics Institute, which owned the site for the town hall.
He, along with shire president Colonel Thomas Hutton, were the drivers of the hall’s construction, despite nay-sayers predicting it would be a ‘white elephant’.
Keys’s lineage also includes the familiar pioneer family names Ordish, Corrigan, Andrews and Foster. They were entwined by much inter-marrying in the district at the time.
Her grandfather’s brother George Andrews was Dandenong’s first mayor, her grandmother on her father’s side was an Ordish – as in the former Ordish Fire Brick company in Dandenong.
“They laugh at me at the historical society, saying that any given historical figure would be a relation of mine.”
In retirement, the former superannuation fund manager has gone on to preside over both Dandenong and Springvale historical societies, and to digitise their vast collections.
She sits on Greater Dandenong Council’s cultural heritage advisory committee and is a long-time writer of the Looking Back series, unearthing stories from Dandenong Journal’s 160-year history.
“I got to see that history doesn’t stop, it keeps going. The news of today is the history of tomorrow.”
Dandenong Park and the standing historic buildings on Langhorne Street hold a special place.
Some historic buildings such as her grandmother’s home did not survive, making way for a dry cleaner’s on the corner of Foster and McCrae streets.
In 2020, Keys was recognised as Greater Dandenong’s Citizen of the Year for her community-minded deeds, now followed by her induction into the Living Treasures ranks in January.
As an example of her quiet achievements, Keys also coordinates a free sit-down hot lunch, including a roast with all the trimmings, fish and chips and dessert at St James’ Anglican Church for 150 diners every month.
Much of the prep, such as peeling vegetables, happens with her 10 volunteers at home the day before.
The meals started during Covid, and continues to draw a crowd.
“People come from near and far for it. Part of it is the sociality of it, to sit down at a table with up to eight people.
“There’s nothing better than helping other people.
“That’s what makes the world kick around – people volunteering, getting to know your neighbours and to be kind and helpful to the people around you.”
