Fashion and Old Time Trades to feature at Anniversary celebrations

Bland Shire Council will take a light hearted look at local fashion through the ages as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of Wyalong and West Wyalong on Saturday 23 March.

The 125 years of local fashion parade will be held at historic Thom’s corner in Main Street from 10am and feature a mix of styles and outfits ranging from elegant to outrageous.

With the help and generosity of a number of local residents, the West Wyalong Tennis Club and St Vincent de Paul West Wyalong, Council has put together an ensemble of outfits which represent many of the fashions local residents may have worn in and around Wyalong and West Wyalong from as far back as the 1890’s.

Following the fashion parade, the Bland Shire library will host a tribute to Wyalong’s own international author and playwright Dymphna Cusack at midday.

Born in Wyalong in 1902, Ms Cusack wrote 12 novels, seven plays, three travel books, two children's books and one non-fiction book. Her most famous book was Come in Spinner – which she wrote with Florence James and was later turned into a movie.

In 2011, Ms Cusack was one of 11 authors to be permanently recognised by the addition of brass plaques at the Writers' Walk, Sydney.

People are invited to come along to the library on Saturday 23 March to celebrate the work of Ms Cusack, share a free high tea, take in a screening of the movie Come In Spinner and immerse themselves in a Dymphna Cusack display of her works.

Meanwhile, another feature event of the weekend promises to be the Golden Days Fair at Cooinda Park.

The Golden Days Fair will turn back the clock to the early years of settlement and demonstrate how people lived and worked.

People can visit Cooinda Park for free and see working Clydesdales in action, soak up the history of the light horsemen and view demonstrations of blacksmithing, rope and whip making, bread making, spinning and weaving, damper making, goat milking and much more.

Another highlight promises to be a series of performances from the Axemen – a 10 person ensemble of wood choppers who will perform every hour.

The West Wyalong Lions Club will be cooking up a traditional barbecue and the West Wyalong Public School P&C will keep everyone refreshed with drinks while West Wyalong Movies will also have a display which showcases various aspects of local history and beyond.

Across the road at Rotary Park, Pat O’Kane and his merry men will conduct a mallee root throwing competition where a new King and Queen will be crowned while the West Wyalong Local Aboriginal Land Council are conducting cultural and canoe tours at The Wetlands with hourly tours from 1.30pm.

Hundreds of visitors and returning residents are expected to attend the anniversary celebrations and join in the fun with existing local residents in what promises to be a red letter weekend for Wyalong and West Wyalong.

There are a huge range of activities planned across the weekend to suit all tastes with more information, including a full program of events, available at Council’s website on www.blandshire.nsw.gov.au or on Facebook at “125th anniversary of Wyalong and West Wyalong”.