Lance has been involved with the Werribee District Historical Society since 1986 when approached by the Society to use his hobby photographic skills to copy and file their collection of photographs.

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Possessing an engineering background, Lance has studied written descriptions of equipment used during the Geodetic Survey of Victoria in 1860, produced schematic diagrams of missing equipment and how that equipment functioned.

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His engineering background was also useful in analysing the activities of the Chaffey Bros. and their ‘Werribee Irrigation Colony’ of 1888.  Lance was able to determine the two previously unknown locations at which the Chaffey pump was installed, this being confirmed by a superficial archaeological dig carried out in June 2011.  Uncovered was the 500mm dia. water delivery pipe which ran from the pump to the irrigation channel. The only location of the pump known prior to this discovery was at Riverbend Historic Park.

 

As fund raising for the Society Lance has prepared many history lectures on various topics, geared towards Primary School through to Secondary School, encompassing the algebra used in the Geodetic Survey of Victoria.

 

Gordon Hope

President,

Werribee District Historical Society Inc.

 

For an outline of these School / Community Group Lectures please see Research Link