Hobson Bay academic and author Dr Dominique Hes is launching her seventh book, The Stories of Newport Lakes, next weekend.
Not only is the title self explanatory, but her reason for writing it is pretty straight forward too.
“I wrote this because I love Newport Lakes,” said Hes of the book she began working on during the pandemic.
While the title and Hes’ reason for writing it might be succinct, the book itself goes into great detail about the 32-hectare site, half of which is playing fields and dog park and half of which is the preserved and revegetated quarry holes.
“It is about how it has changed from when the Yalukit-william (the traditional owners) cared for it before settlement, to when the Europeans arrived and started taking the bluestone for construction, roads and ballast for ships returning to Europe,” said Hes, describing the book’s central premise, adding that bluestone from the quarry was also used to make cobblestones for the streets of London.
It’s one of numerous factoids included in the book, which then examines what happened after its 1968 closure and the fight over whether to turn it into lakes or landfill.
A 1986 compromise resulted in the biggest hole being filled and becoming what is now the dog park and the two remaining two lakes being retained, creating what is today “ a hive of activity, life, animals, people, music, and peace,” as Hes described it.
“A place like the lakes is a jewel in the community’s crown,” she said, adding that during the pandemic it was “a life-saver.”
Fortunately, Hes lived to write the tale and will launch it on Saturday, November 9, at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville, from 4.30-6pm.
Books will be available in hard copy and e-versions.
Cade Lucas
