President’s Report
Autumn is such a glorious time in Bathurst – warm days, cool nights and the wonderful ever-changing colours of trees throughout the city. It is the perfect time to visit Bathurst and participate in the wonderful range of history tours on offer during the annual Autumn Colours Heritage Festival. Our informative walking tours, both in the vicinity of the railway station, have been enjoyed by a large number of participants as has our first Cemetery Wander (the second is on Mothers’ Day) for which we had perfect autumn weather, some fascinating stories (although the word “tragedy” seemed to occur repeatedly!) and the much-anticipated delicious afternoon tea which is always a feature of the Wanders. It is pleasing that quite a number of people come back each year to see what new stories we have and of course to enjoy the exceptional catering! Our various tours are the result of a great team effort of researchers, presenters and caterers – a big THANK YOU to everyone involved.
Sharing family stories and research discoveries (and challenges!) are really important parts of our family history journeys. Our first General Meeting and the April ZOOM session have enabled members to share items of importance to their family story through a Show & Tell and the range of items and stories have been fascinating: books, albums, ornaments, photos, souvenirs, and toys all have a story to tell that enhances your family story. I encourage everyone to choose an item that sheds some light on your story and write about it, perhaps to share in an upcoming edition of Chimes or at a future Show & Tell. Capture it with a photo and start writing – I’m thinking of the family piano which definitely needs a photo!
Earlier this year we conducted a family history course for the Bathurst U3A with a focus on providing the participants with the tools to progress their family story from wherever they were at – some just starting and others having researched for years. The size of our rooms limited the participants to 12 although there was a lot of interest in the course. It was fascinating, and a real privilege, to witness the discoveries and progress each made, the wonderful sharing at each session and the enthusiasm in the room. We are now thinking of offering short courses to members and community members so we would appreciate any suggestions you may have for content.
August is Family History Month for which planning so far includes an Open Day at the Centre on Saturday 3 August and our Graves & Grub event on Saturday 24 August at historic Holy Trinity Church and churchyard where so many early pioneers are buried. This August is also significant in the story of Bathurst as 14 August commemorates the 200-year anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in Bathurst by Governor Thomas Brisbane. The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation in collaboration with Bathurst Regional Council and other community partners are coordinating The Dhuluny Project, a wide range of events from 11 to 18 August. Dhuluny is a Wiradyuri word meaning “truth and that which is direct”. Events include a film festival, book launches, possum skin cloak-making workshops, weaving and tool-making workshops and a corroboree ceremony.
Planning is well underway to celebrate our 40th anniversary on Saturday 9 November – it will be a day to look back over the achievements of the Group, the people and events. If you have photos or items that could be included in the day, or in the November issue of Chimes, please let us know – we have much to celebrate as so many people have been part of the Group, and so much has happened, over the years. Highlight the date in your calendar and start planning your trip to Bathurst! 40 successful years really is a significant milestone.
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary year we look forward to welcoming our members to our Centre and to the various activities throughout the year. We also encourage everyone to help celebrate by sharing part of their family history journey in a short item for the next two editions of Chimes: why you joined; an interesting discovery; a family heirloom or item of significance – the possibilities are endless! It is the people and their stories that make Bathurst Family History Group such an enduring and dynamic group.
Jan Page
President