Windang Celebrates Bicentenary - a digital story by Greg Hesse (Lake Illawarra MAP Project)

MENTOR WRITER: Susan Kennedy
MENTOR FILM MAKER: Mary Callaghan
SYNOPSIS: People need things to lift them and the Windang Bicentenary Celebrations certainly brought the community spirit out.
SCRIPT: In 1985 Gwyn Hunter the local post mistress and others decided to have a Windang Bicentenary celebration. It was her idea to hold functions for three years to become proficient at holding events. For three years we held various events such as dances at the Bowling Club and Windang Neighbourhood Hall, BBQ's, raffles, Carols by Candlelight. Then we were ready.

On March 27th 1988 the weather was perfect. It was a hot day, with a beautiful breeze. The Bicentenary Celebration was beginning. Every street and park was full of people. There were seven bands, a street parade, thousands of people, hundreds of children. You had to shout to be heard.




The Parade just started the day off. After that we had races, music, performances and vintage sports events. Some of us had researched the old rules of cricket, tennis and bowls and dressed in costumes to play.

One of the highlights was the re-enactment of Bass and Flinders landing in Windang looking for water. The replica of the Tom Thumb was made by Gavin Crowther who owned the Windang boat shed. It was raffled and won by someone on the day.

About 14000 people turned up on the day. The orange drink stand ran out of oranges three times even though the guy running it had brought a trailer load of oranges. He couldnt believe it. He was so flat out he ran out of puff and had to get two girls to squeeze the oranges for him.

They were Bush Dancing till approx 10:30 when we had to start shutting down lights before people would go home. When it finished we had to roll up all the electrical leads and switch off the power. We were back there at six oclock the next day. But nobody minded. We were all so impressed by what had happened and what we had achieved.

We even had enough profit from the day to build a community Park which was called Tom Thumb park. We got Bert Flugelman to make a sculpture. And he got the uni students to help him build it.

It was probably the biggest function that has ever been held in this area. People need things to lift them up, opportunities to meet other people and this event certainly brought the community spirit out. People talked about it for years.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Lake Illawarra
• digital story
• Windang
• Bicentenary
• community