WORK STARTS ON RESTORATION OF AUSTRALIAN BUNGALOW

THOUSANDS OF MALTESE HAVE EMIGRATED TO OTHER COUNTRIES OVER THE PAST CENTURIES – BUT THE COUNTRIES THEY WENT TO VARIED FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REASONS. IN THE EARLY 1900's, AS WORK IN MALTA BECAME HARDER TO FIND, ANOTHER WAVE OF EMIGRANTS LEFT THE ISLAND.

Australia realised that these emigrants came from very different backgrounds and in the 1920s sent typical houses in ‘kit form’ to all the Commonwealth countries, to give the migrants an idea of what to expect – as well as for training purposes.

Similar wooden buildings with high roofs and outhouses are found in many areas of Australia where they were designed to make the most of the climate and environment – but for the Maltese, they were a revelation. The island did not ha ve timber houses and there were elements – like the porticoes that ran along three sides of the building and sash windows – that were completely unheard of in Malta. The Bungalow – the only one sent to Malta – was made of three types of timber, with corrugated iron sheeting used for the roof. It was re-assembled at the private Bugeja Technical Institute (Istituto Tecnico Bugeja) in Ħamrun and by June 1929, 137 trainees had passed through the training centre, 39 of whom went to Australia.

Around 1930, the Bungalow was transferred to the experimental farm in Għammieri, where it was used as a lecture room by the Agricultural Services and Rural Development Division Department.

Over time, however, the building fell into disrepair and rainwater seeping in caused parts of it to rot – especially the floor. It was not until 2018 that the non-profit heritage organisation Din l-Art Ħelwa confirmed that it would be taking over restoration of the site. It was finally granted guardianship of the site in 2022, for a 15-year period.

Restoration has now started, a delicate project which is expected to take at least 12 months. The painstaking work involves di smantling the Bungalow, restoring and replacing any missing elements, and re-assembling them – all under the watchful eye of experts in conservation. Each piece of wood is being numbered and m atched against detailed drawings so that the re-assembled buildin g will be as faithful as possible to the original.

However, once restored, the Bungalow will move from Għammieri. The pla ns are to relocate the Bungalow to the Ta' Qali Family Park where the Gover nment identifi ed a site that is more easily accessible to the public – reflecting the public interest anticipated! According to a Census carried out in Australia in 2021, there were 198,989 people of Maltese descent in Australia and 35,413 Malta-born people residing in the country at the time. Given the strong family ties, many of these visit Malta regularly – and Din l-Art Ħelwa is planning to use the Bungalow as an interactive repository for memorabilia and artefacts from this important period of Maltese history.

Articles about the restoration have appeared in Australian media and a radio interview was broadcast – in Maltese – aimed at the diaspora, as well as numerous posts about the era being put on social media. There is clearly a thirst for any details and Din l-Art Ħelwa is in touch with various entities to try to find out more about the Bungalow and its context in Maltese history.

The restoration work is being sponsored by the Melita Foundation and the Good Causes Fund, however, considerably more funds are required to complete the project. Any donors or sponsors are welcome to email admin@dinlarthelwa.org

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SEEDLINGS: THE GLASSHOUSE PROJECT, AN EXHIBITION BY GILBERT CALLEJA, JESMOND VASSALLO AND ROBERT ZAHRA

VENUE:

Art Galleries, Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta

DATE:

27th July - 10th August 2023

ONLINE: www.artsmalta.org/events

Seedlings is the first event of a yearlong project intended to bring to light the first stages of artistic production. The three artists (Gilbert Calleja, Jesmond Vassallo and Robert Zahra) are consciously transposing fragments of what they created in the past few months in their studios and presenting them to the public to create a space for an even broader discussion and collective reflection. The exhibition contains around 50 tentative sketches, mixed-media experiments, drawings, and a few finished works. Curated by Caldon Mercieca.

THE ARCHIVES: MSA MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION 2023

VENUE:

Art Galleries, Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta

DATE:

17th August - 7th September 2023

ONLINE: www.artsmalta.org/events

As part of the Malta Society of Arts’ (MSA) 100 years at Palazzo de La Salle celebrations, The Archives will present a collective fine art exhibition by more than 60 Members of the MSA. The show is inspired by the Society’s extensive archive of seminal documents, which homes a treasure trove of knowledge, ready to be unearthed.

MALTA CRAFTS FOUNDATION - FESTA LWIEN (A FEAST OF COLOUR)

VENUE:

Ta’ Qali Artisan Village

DATE:

19th August 2023

TIME:

7:00pm - 11:30pm

ONLINE: www.maltacrafts.org | events@maltacrafts.org

Every Maltese village organises its own feast in summer - a collection of colour, tradition, and craftsmanship. Lined up with traditional decorations, the Ta’ Qali Artisan Village will also be hosting its own ‘ festa ’ in August to showcase local artisans’ labours of love. Join us for this celebration of Maltese food, music, traditional games, and authentic Maltese handmade artisanal products – an immersion in Maltese culture with fun for all ages. Entrance is free.