1 Bathurst District Historical Society Inc. MEMBER’S NEWSLETTER No 103 July – September 2015 BI-CENTENARY YEAR EDITION Price $3.00 Free to Members of the Society FROM THE PRESIDENT The Dennis Fire Engine (below) was a popular hit down by the Macquarie River as part of This is our third special edition during the Saturday Colonial Fair as were many Bathurst’s Bicentennial year. Plenty has other vintage vehicles. taken place and there are still a large number of other activities and events to Please remember the ‘The Bathurst 200 take place from now until Christmas. Theo Barker Memorial Lecture’ is on Friday 14th August at Charles Sturt A great deal of work has gone into the University commencing at 6pm so events and the Bathurst District Historical follow the balloons as usual. Renowned Society Committee and I would like to colonial historian, Associate Professor thank all those who have sacrificed a good Grace Karskens, from the University of deal of time to commit themselves to make New South Wales in Sydney will be our sure that the various events have come to guest speaker with the title of her talk – fruition. There is a report of events so far ‘Life on Australia’s first frontier’. in this newsletter. What a surprise it was to see a 100 year old steam traction engine called ‘Sooty’ driving around the Be sure to make a point of coming along to find out streets of Bathurst on Friday 8th May. It can be seen what it was like to make a life in the early farming parked out in the yard of Burke’s Transport. Burke’s districts of Australia’s first frontier. Also in this talk was one of the major sponsors of the Colonial Fairs Associate Professor Grace Karskens (above) will and other events. present some of the findings from her current research. Just a reminder SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS ARE DUE From July for the coming year with a Membership Renewal Reminder Form 2015 – 2016 accompanying this newsletter. If you lose yours or need extra copies they will be available at the Museum during normal opening hours. The best time to visit is between 11am and 2pm on any day except Monday. Alan McRae, FAIHA, President 2 MUSEUM OPEN DAY 2015 even as far away as Queensland, together with lots of locals who had heard Samantha Friend interviewed There was a very definite buzz in the Museum on on ABC Local Radio on Friday morning. Lucky Open Day 2015 with over 200 people coming door prizes gave away Central West Lifestyle through on Saturday 28th March, which in this Magazines to two lucky visitors, and a copy of the Bicentennial year is very exciting! Many took the book ‘To Kokoda’ by Nicholas Anderson was won opportunity to bring in elderly relations as well as by Edith Delaney from Bathurst. children. A very handsome tea and The two Courthouse tours were fully coffee service was recently booked and very popular, Alan donated to the Society – it had Cochrane dressed up in his 1862 belonged to T.C. McKell who trooper’s uniform and looked very had been the Police Magistrate dashing. He and Bill Baines taking the in Bathurst in the 1890’s. We groups through and giving a very were very pleased to welcome comprehensive and entertaining talk. Tim McKell from Sydney, a Guided tours round the Museum (right) great nephew of T.C. McKell were also very popular, each tour with at to the Museum, who was very least 20 interested visitors, some who pleased to see the objects on had been in the Museum before and display. some here for the first time. The Of course, all this could not Reflections 200 Years of Fashion in have happened without a lot of Bathurst exhibition was also well help. Carol Churches, Dell represented by Elaine Holland and Judy Baines and Ernie Holland Attard who were kept very busy with manned the Front Desk, dealt enquiries and comments about the with enquiries, handed out Lucky Door Prize tickets garments and accessories they had on display, which and generally held everything together! Alan was seen in full at BMEC in May. The small sample Cochrane, Alan McRae, Peta Leseberg and Sandy of photographs from Snapshots in Time was also Bathgate gave everyone a very interesting and popular creating lots of comments and stories from entertaining overview of the Museum and the visitors. Courthouse, and Bill Baines and Chris Stewart Peta Leseberg took care of the Penzig Room and had provided back up assistance where and when worked hard on a very interesting and entertaining required. Elaine Holland and Judy Attard were a tour of the room that will eventually turn into a self- constant source of information regarding the dresses, guided tour of the Penzig Collection. which only left Samantha Friend who ran the whole operation from the comfort of her office chair - she was due in hospital to have two new knees so maintained a 'low' profile. Thanks too must go to the Visitor Information Centre and Annabell and her team at the Bathurst200 Pop Up Shop for goodies for Show bags, and to Margaret Stephen and Merryll Hope who helped pack them. Thanks to everyone who took part in our most successful Open Day yet, and here’s to next year - bigger and better than ever! ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo IT HAS ALL BEEN HAPPENEING! Judy Attard with the Reflection’s Fashions The Bathurst District Historical Society has had a display on Open Day 2015. number of events under its umbrella with the first We ran out of show bags very early on, all the Easter being the official opening of the Old Government eggs had gone by 11 o’clock and the Bathurst Cottage Bicentennial Heritage Garden on Sunday posters we have had available for years have nearly 29th March. The opening was part of Bathurst’s all gone! There were book sales and new Bicentennial celebrations. The impressive new memberships, a number of historical photographs garden is located at 16 Stanley Street down by the were bought in for scanning which will add to the Macquarie River and is open every Sunday afternoon from 12 noon until 4pm. Society’s collection, and as usual, there were lots of stories and reminiscences. The Bathurst Garden Club is responsible for the There were plenty of visitors from all over – Sydney, success of the garden which attracts an increasing Millthorpe, Penrith, Katoomba, Canberra, Windsor, number of visitors every Sunday. Members of the 3 garden club professionally designed, set out and The day was marked by a triple opening by Mayor established the Bicentennial Heritage Garden. Their Gary Rush with the Bicentennial Heritage Garden, concept was to educate and show visitors who come “The Pillars of Bathurst Cultural Garden” and ‘A to see the historic brick cottage the types of plants Delightful Spot’- Early Government Settlement Area that would have been in a typical Bathurst household Heritage Trail at 11am. After the opening there was garden some 150 years and more ago. Our garden a Pioneer Picnic on the banks of the Macquarie from the Georgian-Victorian era has herbs, River which saw visitors and the general public vegetables, berries and fruit such as apricot, apples enjoying their own picnic lunch and refreshments or and pears as well as fragrant fresh flowers. one provided by The Wholefood Kitchen. Old Government Cottage has hosted a number of tours and special visits over the past 12 months. The cottage can be opened for groups and bus tours. In excess of 250 people, some in Colonial costume, filled the garden as well as along the footpath to witness the opening by the Mayor of Bathurst, Councillor Gary Rush, who congratulated all those concerned with the project which commenced in November 2012. Mr Ken Bradley, President of Garden Clubs of Australia, travelled from Sydney to Bathurst Regional Council’s ‘A Delightful Spot’ is express some complimentary words about a typical an interpretation project about the European garden of around the 1840s. He wanted to be on settlement of Bathurst 200 years ago. It includes a hand for the occasion and to tell of the importance of walking trail, an exhibition, an online database of such a project near the site where Governor old maps and illustrations, playground equipment Macquarie’s tent was pitched. The garden was and a street art project. organised to be part of Bathurst’s 200 years celebrations. Keen gardeners who visit Old Government Cottage on a Sunday afternoon can view the itemised listing of all the varieties of plants that have been included in the Georgian-Victorian garden which has been lovingly prepared by the Bathurst Garden Club. The detail is quite incredible. The project was funded by the Bathurst Regional Council, Bathurst District Historical Society, Bathurst Garden Club, Bathurst Community Op The Pillars of Bathurst Cultural Garden, adjacent to Shop who donated $1,000 and the Bathurst Antique the Ohkuma Gardens, was also included in the Car Club who donated the teak garden seat. opening which saw a number of lives commemorated. The first 22 people have been featured on the Pillars of Bathurst and include Benjamin Isaacs – 1796 – 1881 – Newspaperman; Caroline Keightley – 1840 – 1898 – Heroine of Rockley; James Byrn Richards – 1802 – 1881 – Surveyor; Blair Anderson Wark – 1894 – 1941 – War Hero; John Fennell – c1790 – 1826 – Bathurst Commandant; Kath Knowles – 1970 – 2010 – Community Leader and William Astley – 1855 – 1911 – Federation Activist, to name a few. A brochure has been printed that provides a brief history of those named on each pillar so far. 4 These past Bathurstians have added something Reflections – 200 Years of Women’s Fashion special to the story of the Bathurst Region, offering exhibition was open from 2nd to 9th May and inspiration to living and future generations.