The engineering brain behind Gunnedah's Water Tower Museum

HISTORY:

When visitors enter the Water Tower Museum, they are immediately confronted with framed images of the brilliant team of volunteers responsible for the conversion of the town reservoir into a unique museum.

Front and centre is Garvice Mazitelli, a naturally talented mechanical and structural engineer, largely self-taught, who supervised the construction over a 10-year period.

Emblazoned on the central brick column are the words ‘The GF Mazitelli Commemorative Floor’. This lasting memorial pays tribute to his key role in converting a former water reservoir on Anzac Hill to a four-floor museum plus observation deck, which could only have been achieved through his engineering and practical genius.

Affectionately known as Massey, Garvice Mazitelli spread his talents far and wide, from Australia to the mission fields of India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia constructing schools, orphanages and dormitories. This work through the Australian Christian Bible Mission, included constructing buildings for a leper colony just north of Hyderabad in India. Each project lasted six to nine months and included mission work, lectures and Sunday School.

Born in 1915 at Frogmore, a small mining town near Yass, Massey could trace his Australian ancestry back to 1855 when his Italian born grandfather, a master mariner, sailed trading vessels along the Australian coast.

Massey’s father James Mazitelli was a steam engineer at the mine near Frogmore and with his wife Annie moved the family to Gunnedah in 1926 to take up a position at Pike Brother’s Powerhouse. Garvice was one of the first students at the new Gunnedah Intermediate High School when it opened in 1929.

After leaving school, he was apprenticed as a mechanic to Mirow and Sons, motor vehicle traders, blacksmiths and coach-builders. It was there that he received a sound grounding in the mechanical and engineering trades and developed a keen interest in electrical and engineering work.

Garvice Mazitelli had a brilliant mind. In 1939 he moved to Lithgow to take up the position of foreman in the local Ford dealership and that year became a member of the Institute of Automotive Engineers.

He also studied through the ICS correspondence school, receiving a preliminary certificate in electric lighting, an interest he had developed over many years.

Just before the outbreak of World War II, Garvice Mazitelli applied to join the air force and the AIF but was manpowered out of service due to his mechanical background.

He then formed a partnership back in Gunnedah with motor trader Tom Gascoyne, which lasted until Mr Gascoyne’s death in 1976. Despite his best efforts to retire, Massey accepted an offer as workshop manager at Cornish’s where he stayed 18 months.

With petrol in short supply in World War II, Massey began experimenting with gas-producer plants to power cars and machinery. He drove a specially-outfitted Chevrolet 1936 Tourer to Sydney in 1940, burning just three bags of charcoal as the energy source. For this he received a certificate of efficiency and this approval meant that they were able to continue producing them during the war years. He also designed a special unit to power a tractor.

A wartime marriage to Olive Wilson produced two children – David and Bronwyn – who in turn gave Massey several grandchildren. During the war, Massey also involved himself in training with the Volunteer Defence Force and set up training schools at Gunnedah, Nea and Marys Mount instructing young women in ambulance driver duties.

In 1963 the Gunnedah and District Historical Society was formed and a search began in earnest for a place to store and display the town’s growing collection.

Finally, a decision was made to try and convert the decommissioned water reservoir in Anzac Park. August 3, 1968, was a momentous occasion for Garvice Mazitelli and his team of Lionel Erratt and Arnold Worboys as they hacked away at the wall of the structure with a chisel and sledge hammer. It was a great relief to discover that the tower was solid and dry inside and the team was joined by Bill McMorran, with Garvice Mazitelli supervising the conversion over the next 10 years of voluntary labour. The girders were taken from the roof of the old high school when it was demolished and then slotted into the wall of the tower supported internally by an existing central brick column.

Throughout the period of construction, community assistance was constantly available, with service clubs, business houses and individual residents of the town and district getting behind the project in true Gunnedah style.

The service clubs also contributed funds and labour, and the Gunnedah & District Historical Society’s dream was finally realised on Saturday, May 3, 1980, when the Water Tower Museum was officially opened by Dr Lionel Gilbert, Director of Historical Research at the Armidale College of Advanced Education.

With his overseas missionary work winding down, Massey turned his attention once again to the local community becoming very interested in GS Kidd Memorial School. In 1991, he became vice-president of the auxiliary and was a regular visitor every Friday helping the students to develop their manual skills.

During his time at the school for children with special needs, Massey constructed a solar-powered electric light system for the children’s bike track and went on to develop many other educational aids, including a hand powered tricycle for a wheel-chair bound pupil.

In 1992, Garvice Mazitelli received the Director General’s Award for excellent service to public schools and the NSW Department of Education certificate of merit for his great interest and commitment to students with a disability.

Failing health forced Massey to cut back his community involvement but he maintained his association with the Gunnedah and District Historical Society and the GS Kidd School.

He died in December 1999, aged 84, leaving behind the legacy of his enormous spread of interests, talents and achievements and this, combined with an inquiring mind and a generous, caring attitude, which had a profound effect in the community, particularly among the young and the disabled.

Garvice Mazitelli, front, second from right, was always thirsting for knowledge. Pictured with family members in Gunnedah to celebrate his 80th birthday. Back left, James Mazitelli, David Mazitelli, Libby Mazitelli and Bruce Watkins. Front, Bronwyn Downie, Zalie Watkin and Nick Mazitelli.