ALMOST FORGOTTEN
A Virtual Memorial Experience
The Almost Forgotten project is a community-led research initiative by the Colac & District Family History Group.
The project has brought together more than 1,800 life stories of individuals interred at Colac Cemetery prior to the 1900s. Over many years, dedicated volunteers have carefully researched and documented historical records, family connections, photographs and personal histories, preserving stories that might otherwise have been lost to time.
This extensive body of work represents a significant contribution to the preservation of local heritage and the collective memory of the Colac district.
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A Virtual Memorial Experience
Memorial spaces hold far more than names and dates. They hold stories of lives lived, achievements celebrated, challenges overcome, relationships forged and legacies that continue to shape communities across generations.
The Almost Forgotten project sits at the heart of Geelong Cemeteries Trust’s Virtual Memorialisation Pilot Project at Colac Cemetery.
The Virtual Memorialisation Pilot Project has been created to bring the Almost Forgotten stories to life in a new, engaging and meaningful way, inviting visitors to discover, explore and connect with the rich history of Colac Cemetery through immersive digital storytelling.
Through a free web and mobile experience, Remembered, visitors can access historical records, photographs and life stories connected to individual memorial locations throughout the cemetery.
Albert Austin
NAME
Albert Austin
DATE OF BIRTH
1863
CATEGORY
Almost Forgotten
DATE OF DEATH
1889
CEMETERY
Colac Cemetery
Life Story
Albert Austin was born in Colac in 1863, the eldest son in a large family where responsibility arrived early and never really left. His father died while Albert was still a boy, so he took on the role of head of the family, helping to steady those around him. It was a pattern that would shape the rest of his life. After attending school locally and working as a farmer, Albert chose a life of service, joining the Victorian Police Force shortly before his twentieth birthday. He was a tall, strongly built man, but those who knew him spoke less of his size than of his character. Even as a schoolboy, he was remembered for standing up for those who could not stand up for themselves — a trait that followed him into adulthood. In 1884 Albert married Annie Elizabeth Martin. Together they built a family and raised three sons. Home mattered deeply to him, and his loyalty to family ran strong.
fore his twentieth birthday. He was a tall, strongly built man, but those who knew him spoke less of his size than of his character. Even as a schoolboy, he was remembered for standing up for those who could not stand up for themselves — a trait that followed him into adulthood. In 1884 Albert married Annie Elizabeth Martin. Together they built a family and raised three sons. Home mattered deeply to him, and his loyalty to family ran strong.
About
The Virtual Memorialisation Pilot Project represents a shared vision between Geelong Cemeteries Trust, the Colac & District Family History Group, and Arrow Bronze to create a new benchmark for memorialisation in Australia.
Built on extensive community research and innovative digital technology, the pilot transforms the way visitors engage with cemetery heritage. By connecting life stories directly to memorial locations, it creates a richer and more personal understanding of the people who shaped the region.
Selected stories from the Almost Forgotten collection are accessible throughout Colac Cemetery via Remembered, free mobile experience that allows visitors to discover and explore stories connected to nearby memorial locations as they move through the space.
This project reflects a commitment to preserving heritage while embracing thoughtful innovation, creating new opportunities for remembrance, education and connection within memorial spaces.