It’s Trunkey Show Time

After the truly feral, wintery weather yesterday, today dawned fine and sunny, although still a bit cool for the Trunkey Show.  Trunkey Creek is a small, old mining village between Bathurst and Goulburn with a population of about 60, but today that swelled considerably.

We first attended the show quite a few years ago when the equine influenza meant that the horse section of the show could not proceed.  An appeal was put out to the Historic Car Club to put on a display.  Until then we had just assumed it was horses and wool and not much else.

Since then it has really grown.  This year it celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Firstly, we just wandered around, listening to the pipe band.

Coffee and cake were soon on the agenda.  We just loved the retro coffee van.

Their wares weren’t too bad either.

No show is complete without the clowns. Nearly every child had a water pistol won from here.

There were some old cars on display.  This is a 1908 Brush.  I didn’t know this one was in the district.  There is another one on display in the Visitor Centre in Bathurst.  That one was about the first car to come over the blue mountains. Notice the timber axle.

This one drove from Perth to Sydney in 2010 as part of a re-enactment of a trip done one hundred years earlier.   It would be a very long way travelling in this style. Don’t you love the simplicity of the dashboard and the name plate “Mabel”.

Engines have come a long way too.  However, this would be so much easier to work on for mechanics. only one cylinder.

The theme this year was “Proud to be Australian” and the organising committee were fortunate to have Dick Smith, his wife Pip and granddaughter Charlie fly in by helicopter for Dick to open the show.  He was a delightful character to have present.  Here he is with our local larrikin councillor Bobby Bourke checking out some memorabilia. 

There was a big crowd to enjoy the entertainment and official opening of the show.

The local school children (just a small one teacher school) entertained us all with their rendition of Australian songs.

This little chap and dog were taking it all in.

KP Connection were the main entertainers, performing their own compositions as well as covers.  Cold Chisel never looked like this, but they could certainly perform their songs well.

Horses are still a major part of the show.  This duo were waiting patiently for their turn.

The other major part of the show is the fleece judging.  The champion lamb fleece at the right was a popular winner, being the fleece of a young girl’s pet lamb.

There was a good display of flowers and photography in the pavilion.

In the local community hall was the craft section.

The Bathurst Hand Spinners and Weavers put on a display. Here are some of them, hard at it weaving, spinning and my Mum in there (second from the right)  knitting away.

Rita was putting on a good demonstration for all.

This display is all the work of one local lady. She sure is talented and here workmanship was beautiful.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the show is thriving, the craft section gets smaller each year. When we first attended I was amazed that there were more entries than Bathurst Show. Now there are hardly any.

This tea cosy certainly gets in the theme of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

There was however, a large number of entries in various sections by school children.  This model of a pise house was in the 9-11 year age group.  The creator had gone to so much detail. 

I try to put a few entries in if I can.  I just wish a few more would too.  It’s not about winning, just to help put on a display.  Sadly, I was the only entry in “Patchwork – any other item”.

I entered two quilts in “Patchwork Quilt – Commercially Quilted”.  Fortunately, there were a few others in this section.  There was only one quilt on show that wasn’t commercially quilted.  I do hope some more people start to enter some items, just to keep the craft section going.

By mid afternoon we had seen all the displays and stalls and chatted to lots of friends who were also out enjoying the day, so we hopped in the car and came home via the scenic route.  It was a nice way to finish off the day.  Of course, there were more photos taken, so I’ll share them on a separate post.

By the way, you can see our last visit to the Trunkey Show here.