The event included a dinner at Croydon Lodge with speeches, a cake cutting, and many memories shared.
On Sunday, a special plaque dedicated to the late Ray Tressler was unveiled at the Pioneer Village & Museum, with his family in attendance. Mr Tressler died in 2024.
His daughter Wendy Gilder said the village was special to her father, who had a keen interest in vintage machinery and collecting bits and bobs around the district.
"He spent a lot of his retirement here, he was very passionate about it. He has a lot of collections inside and spent a lot of time with the vintage car club as well, but he spent hours and hours here, doing his stuff.
"He was a tractor driver, so he used to find a lot of stuff in sheds and add it to the collections, and when he outgrew the garage at home it came up here," she laughed.
Mrs Gilder said the plaque was a way to commemorate Mr Tressler in a place he gave a significant portion of his life to, and show his legacy.
"It’s a great honour. To have a pavilion named after him and a plaque as well, it’s amazing. For someone who had 50-odd years up here doing volunteer work, we’re very proud of him.
"It’s just a lovely legacy that his name lives on . . . Even though he’s not here any more it’s really special for us to come here and see this as well, it’s wonderful," she said.
Secretary and treasurer Nancy Stronarch said the weekend was a wonderful way to cap off a half a century of preserving history.
"We’ve had a fantastic weekend. There’s been a lot of preparation, as with any event, it’s been nice to see all the foundation members.
"If we don’t look after this stuff, who will?" she said.
