Lithgow & District Family History Society celebrtes 30 years

Left to right. Nancy Draper, Esther Coleman-Hart, 
Yvonne Jenkins, Scott and Helen Taylor, Thelma Draper. 
Seated, Helen Tracy and Jan Saundercock.
In the Dungeon under Lithgow Library. 1986

SOCIETY CELEBRATES 30 YEARS 

Celebrating their 30th Birthday, the members of the Lithgow & District Family History Society are holding an Open Day at their Resource Centre on the corner of Tank & Donald Streets on Saturday 5th March 2016 between 10 am and 4pm.

The Society’s first meetings were held in 1986, in what was referred to as ‘the Dungeon’, a small room in the basement of the Charles H Hoskins Memorial Institute, underneath the then Lithgow City Library. The demand for more space saw a relocation to the LINC building on the corner of Padley Street and Railway Parade. Each Friday members of the committee put out the tables, set up the microfiche readers and ‘opened for business’.

The Society’s move from the LINC premises to the Ewen Smith Memorial Hall was due to the generosity of the Lithgow City Council. The building was relocated from another site by Apex Club Lithgow for the Civilian Widows Association. The Society was able to obtain a lease when the building became vacant in 1991.

Exclusive use of this Centre has allowed for permanent storage of the Society’s collection of books, microfiche, photographs and other resources. A network of computers has allowed the digitisation of and easier access to the Society’s many paper records, and to the many web-based records now available.

Donations of photographs, family trees, letters or copies of these items are always welcome and the Open Day provides an opportunity to share family stories or photographs or just check out some of the records in the Resource Centre at no charge.

Left to right - Kathy Brennan, Ian Irvine, Laurie Cook, Marcie Farr 

and Sandy Banks- Smith at the Resource Centre. 2016

Molong Historical Society celebrate 50 years

50th Birthday Celebration - Rylstone & District Historical Society

 

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES NEWS AND EVENTS

Carcoar Hospital Museum - celebration of restoration to the Operating Theatre

Funding for Hartley site

THE success of the inaugural Back to Hartley event in October was a sure sign the historic village’s revitalisation plans are moving along well.

With the $5100 raised from the celebration handed over to the designated three charities at the site on last week, Member for Calare Paul Toole kept the momentum going with an announcement of $452,000 of funding from the State Government to be spent on the second stage of plans.

While the Cancer Support Group Inc Lithgow and District, Lithgow Prostate Cancer Support Group and Lithgow Community Projects Incorporated were happy with their cheques, the Hartley Historic Site received a very healthy boost.

With the money, revitalisation works are planned to be done by the end of May next year.

Ref: Lithgow Mercury 28/12/12

Hartley Historic Site celebrates a Double Anniversary.

Courthouse

Back to Hartley – 28 October 2012.
A full day of fun and festivities for the whole family
 

Hartley Historic Site located at the base of Mt Victoria and just off the Great Western Highway is undergoing a major revitalisation program over the next several years to enhance the sites tourism potential and to provide enhanced facilities and services to the broader community. Total cost of the revitalisation is approximately $3.2 million dollars funded by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
 

Steve Ring, Manager of Hartley Historic Site said this year we are very excited to be commencing what we anticipate will be an annual event called “Back to Hartley” which will be in partnership with the local community to raise awareness of the site and its history, to raise funds for three local charities and to promote the wonders of the Central West.
 
This year the targeted charities will be: 

Cancer Support Croup Inc. – Lithgow and Districts,
 
Lithgow Prostrate Cancer Support Group, and
 
Lithgow Community Projects Incorporated
 
This year is particularly important for us as the event will also mark the 40th anniversary of the gazettal of Hartley Historic Site and the 175th anniversary of the construction of the Mortimer Lewis designed Courthouse.
 
Event goers will be encouraged to walk around Hartley Historic Site and experience the beauty and vibrancy of the historic village, and celebrate everything that’s wonderful about the Local district and Central West. “Back to Hartley” will provide an outstanding opportunity for locals and visitors alike to access the large number of cultural and community groups which operate in the region, as well as finding out how to become more involved in community life.
 
The Event will showcase a variety of arts, crafts and produce from our region, plants, entertainment, vintage cars and bikes, live music, a selection of food and drinks including Devonshire teas and a sausage sizzle showcasing local “Shogun waygu - meat”, Come and meet some of our native animals up close at the Taronga zoo mobile, Australian Museum – park in a box, sheep shearing, wood chopping or even try your hand at Archery, self guided tours of the Courthouse and much more.
 
We would like to acknowledge and show our appreciation to all our sponsors for helping to make this event happen and therefore benefit our targeted charities. (A full list of sponsors will be displayed on site at the event, as our list continues to grow as this goes to print)

“Back to Hartley” will be at Hartley Historic Site, Old Bathurst Road, Hartley NSW 2790 on Sunday 28th October 2012 from 9am – 3 pm.
For further information please contact Hartley Historic Site, NPWS on PH. 6355 2117 FAX: 6355 2118

Gulgong’s Pioneer Museum plans 50th anniversary

Gulgong’s Pioneer Museum is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012 with the biggest celebration in the museum’s history.

A free open day on Easter Saturday will give visitors an opportunity to see the museum, and to see it at its best, with old machinery operating, several recent restorations on display, and costumes, music and vehicles plucked out of history.

Arthur Johnson, president of the Gulgong Historical Society, said members were excited about the plans and working with other groups to involve the community in the celebration.

“They really want to make a big thing of it,” he said.

“As soon as we get back [after the Christmas break], it’ll be full-on.”

Students of Gulgong Public School will bring their circus skills, while children will come from Red Hill dressed in period clothes.

The printing machine and stationary motors will run, and it is hoped that a sheep shearing demonstration can be arranged, along with music from local musicians.

Organisers are also hoping to involve local vintage car and motorbike clubs.

The museum also has several restoration projects underway, which should be complete before the anniversary date.

Using a grant from Veteran’s Affairs, the museum’s military display room is being improved, and a vintage firearm is being restored.

A heritage grant from Mid-Western Regional Council is financing the restoration of the old blacksmith’s shop in the museum yard, including the replacement of boards in the walls, improvements to the foundations, and structural maintenance.

Source: Mudgee Guardian 02Jan2012