In a suburb rich in history stands a symbolic relic connecting the past to the present – the Glen Huntly bell.
This bell honours the resilience and growth of the Glen Huntly community and was put in place near the train station in 1990 to commemorate 150 years since the arrival of the ship Glen Huntly.
Given its significance in the local area, the bell was removed during our works to be restored and has now been reinstalled close to its original location as part of the Glen Huntly level crossing removal project.
With more than 30 years of weather damage, the bell’s arch had to be replaced while the bell itself was carefully restored in a combined effort between historical preservationists, craftsmen, engineers and community advocates.
Antique restorer Jamie Neville was one of the workers who helped restore the bell to its former glory while being respectful of its history.
'I felt honoured to be asked to work on such an important piece of history,' Jamie said
Carol Stals, a member of the Glen Eira Historical Society, said there are many rumours about where the bell came from before its installation at Glen Huntly.
'People say the bell came from the Glen Huntly ship but that’s not possible because the ship relied on it for communication and never would have made it back to England without it,' Carol said.
While many people believe it was the Glen Huntly School’s bell for many years, Carol says it likely came from one of the many decommissioned churches in the area. A key clue is the markings on top of the bell which refer to companies that made church bells.
To protect it from future damage, a specialised powder coating company sandblasted and coated the bell.
Engineers recreated the original arch using sturdier materials, making sure it will stand the test of time without altering its original appearance.
The bell, which is for ceremonial purposes only and does not ring, is proudly shining once again outside the new station which opened last year as part of works to remove the dangerous and congested level crossings at Neerim and Glen Huntly roads.
