The annual Easter Family Fun Day at Hickinbotham of Dromana was a flourish of fun family activity from its inception in 1999. This year was very different, with the excitement of the historic unveiling of their 25-year-old time capsule that was buried in the vineyard. It was a chance to celebrate and relive history for owners Andrew and Terryn, alongside families and community groups as they witnessed the piece of the event’s history come to life.

Easter Sunday saw beautiful weather and an impressive turnout. The Easter tradition never failed to bring together families for a day of festivities, all the while supporting local charities. Over the years, the Easter Family Fun Day has supported many organisations, including Biala Peninsula, EPIC, Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Westernport Warriors, Peninsula Hospice Services, Australian Volunteer Coastguard, Dromana Sea Scouts, Red Cross, Peninsula Special Development School, Dromana CFA and many more. This year, the cherished event raised money for Dromana Community House and SecondBite, which focus on reducing food waste and poverty in the community, with more than $600 raised on the day.

This latest event offered a range of activities including the Grape Stomp competition, the Easter Bilby hunt, and prizes for the best Easter bonnet. Live music by Bernardo Solero & Ellie Carter was enjoyed by guests, with the restaurant fully booked for diners and a superb sausage sizzle held by Dromana Community House. Activities and prizes were sponsored by Ice Cream A’La Copenhagen, Pink Lady Chocolates, Pilgrim Dining, Meat To Please, Dalias, and Hillview Quarries, which sponsored the stone for the time capsule back in the day – making the event come full circle. Former councillor and mayor Graham Pittock was the MC on the day, with Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor David Gill making a short speech as well.  Mrs Scott, a Biala Peninsula family member in 1999 and contributor to the time capsule, flew down from Queensland to attend the event and witness the time capsule opening.

Terryn said she’d completely forgotten what was in there. Among the 67 items they discovered were packs from students of Biala Peninsula, several bottles of wine, kids’ drawings, a ferry timetable, glasses engraved with the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council logo, Between the Bays book by Joan Bogruda and Leslie M. Moorehead, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula by Malcolm Gordon, certificates from charities they’d supported, Peninsula newspapers, magazines and brochures, a VHS family video, a CD by Jim Murphy, a lock of Andrew’s hair, a Northern Mornington Peninsula Winery Walk brochure, family photos, and a newsletter from Hickinbotham of Dromana.

“The event was always a highlight of our year and those in our community, until the red tape got too restrictive,” Terryn said. “Some of my favourite additions over the years have been a petting zoo, jumping castle, six-gun salute with cannon, and local celebrities attending. We remain extremely proud of raising $16,000 at our first event, and $26,000 the following year. We’d love to see those numbers again, but for now we’ll keep doing what we’re doing and help the community when and wherever we can by donating vouchers for community fundraising and help when we can. One of the best things about this whole event over the years was meeting the people who volunteered their time and effort to their chosen not-for-profit organisation – so many wonderful, often unsung, heroes.”