Descendants of John (Jack) Harold Donelly, born 1896, and Edith Wray Donelly (nee Kilmartin), born 1901, formerly of Bruthen and Bairnsdale, gathered for a family reunion at the Albert farm at Tambo Upper over the Melbourne Cup long weekend.
With close to 100 family members in attendance, including the last surviving child of Jack and Edie, 88-year-old Bruce Donelly, a great celebration was had in what is believed to be the sixth Back to Bruthen / Donelly Reunion over the past 88 years (previously held in 1937, 1947, 1975, 1883 and 2005.
Following a formal welcome to all attendees, a background history synopsis was provided starting with the first Donelly (James) arriving in Australia in 1838, then the growing family’s quest for gold discovery in central Victoria and at Deptford; the arrival in 1907 to Bruthen of James’ Grandsons Hugh and Richard with families, establishing farms and Hugh’s Bruthen brickworks; through to Jack (son of Hugh) and Edie raising their family of seven – Norman (Digger), Joyce, Betty, Ray, Shirley, Lorraine and Bruce – on the Donelly family farm in Bruthen (still in the Donelly family today) in the years between 1923 and 1951 (until Jack and Edie’s retirement to Bairnsdale).
Jack and Edie’s retirement activities while living in Bairnsdale, up until both their deaths in 1969, were recited, where both remained active on the community front often organising local dances and providing the dance music, teaching some 2500 young people to dance, while Jack engaged in community services such as a Tambo Shire Councillor, Justice of the Peace, deputy coroner, foundation member of Bruthen RSL, Senior Citizens Club president, and school committee representative.
Among the 2025 reunion attendees there were many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of Jack and Edie’s celebrating along with Bruce.
Special mention was made by Bruce of the positive influence and indelible mark that other families – the Kilmartin, Albert, Terrill, Joiner, Batty, O’Brien, Innes, Saunders and subsequent generations – have had over the years, and continue to do so, as those families blended-in with the Donelly clan predominantly through marriage and partnering – providing the blueprint for the Jack and Edie legacy that is now prevalent, evidenced by the nearly 100 descendants gathered together for the reunion.
Following the welcome and family history summary, a presentation was made to Bruce by Jack and Edie’s great-granddaughter, Karinda Kelly, of an updated Donelly Family Tree that Karinda had prepared and had framed for presentation to Bruce.
The reunion was celebrated with food vans in attendance, children’s activities, group photo sessions, a continuous slideshow of more than 150 family photos from the past 100 years, live music and even a breakfast provided with a coffee van for the overnight campers and others on the Sunday morning.
The reunion closed on Sunday evening with a family dinner at the Bruthen Inn, with everyone declaring the entire weekend a fitting tribute to the life and times of Jack and Edie Donelly.
The reunion committee acknowledged and thanked the following in making the Donelly Reunion the success it was: the Albert family for use of the family farm as a venue for the reunion; Wendy and Garry Ball for their organising of the event; Karinda Kelly for her update and publication of the Jack and Edie Family Tree; Bruce Donelly for his input on the family photos commentary; Peter and Geoff Donelly for their live music performance; Cam Ball for his DJ audio mix; Hugh Donelly and Richard Donelly for all of their help; and everyone who attended.
