Well, it is six months since our last article, and by popular demand I am responding to bring the community up to date with our activities.
The weather beat us early in October when were to have an Open Day during the long weekend. It was just impossible to have allowed vehicles to drive on grassed areas – they would surely have become bogged. Since then, the grounds have dried up remarkably, so we are confident to plan ahead now.
So, we will conduct an Open Day on Australia Day, on Thursday, 26th January 2023. Mark it in your calendars and come and join us! We will bring out as much of our equipment as possible, and will do a parade around the park in the middle of the day with some of our vehicles.
You may recall our appeal for new volunteers earlier in the year. We were very pleased to attract three ladies and one gentleman to our ranks. Of the ladies, one has taken on the homestead garden with enthusiasm with outstanding results (it is truly a picture at the moment), another has undertaken a progressive freshen up of the homestead’s contents, and the other is managing publicity, organising tours of the homestead and museums in conjunction with Council, and she has become our homestead tour guide. The new gentleman is IT focused and is undertaking a review of our records. We cannot rest on our laurels, and we still need new blood to continue the legacy of our heritage, as some of us are approaching retirement. Please give some thought to becoming one of us and contact us at any time.
You are all waiting for news of the International truck! Well, we are making steady progress on the timberwork, and the tray and seating are moving towards completion. To accommodate this work, the reorganisation I previously foreshadowed took place and we now have ample space around the truck to handle the long lengths of timber. Mechanically, we suffered some water leaks around the engine, and our fix appears successful and just today it was reassembled. I hope we can bring it out for Australia Day under its own power.
Finally, we all wish our visitors and supporters, and you, the public, a very merry Christmas and a “La Nina free” New Year!
If you would like to contact us to offer your services as a volunteer, call Ian 0419 435 475, or Vern 0405 703 413.
