It was a perfect evening with the moon shining in a clear sky, and the fireworks did not disappoint.
The crowd wasn’t as large as for normal Australia Day celebrations, but the long awaited pyrotechnics were enjoyed by those present, and those who watched from further afield.
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The school holiday program is on again at the Jerilderie Racecourse from April 8 to 10, with Wesley Mission Youth coming from Sydney to run the program, supported by the Jerilderie Uniting Church.
Registration is online so please go to the Murrumbidgee Council website to register your children.
Don’t let financial constraints stop you from registering, as sponsors can always be found.
Activities will include canoeing, sports, music, and stories.
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The recent Harmony Day celebrations at St Joseph’s Catholic School revealed there are 15 different countries represented in the school community, showing a rich diversity.
There will be an Easter hat parade tomorrow, April 2, in which Jerilderie Public School will be joining their St Joseph’s School friends. It is also the last day of term.
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This is my last column for ‘Just Jerilderie’, so here are some more trips down memory lane; this time from the early 2000s.
At the end of 2006 the Jerilderie Bowling Club, formed in 1940 and then situated in Mahonga St, closed and amalgamated with the Jerilderie Golf Club.
The new tennis courts were established at the Golf Club, and there were Tai Chi classes at the Community Centre.
In 2007 the League of Silent Flight had been coming to Jerilderie for 30 years, the Jerilderie Bakery opened its doors with Neila and ‘Butch’ Price at the helm, and a Jerilderie Arts Group was formed.
There were lots of fundraisers by local organisations and sports groups for the drought effort.
In 2008 our Jerilderie Pharmacy became a fully functioning pharmacy under new owners Ben Brndusic and Trent Seaman, with Suey Ham and Polly Fisher greeting and serving the happy customers.
Jerilderie’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2008 were held over the Easter weekend, when activities included a grand ball, attended by more than 340 people.
There were hourly bus tours during the weekend, cemetery tours, the unveiling of the Vietnam and Iraq Veterans plaques at the cenotaph, a street parade of floats and a footy club reunion.
Guest speaker in the civic hall on the Sunday was Michelle Gratton.
More than 1200 people attended a drought buster country music concert at the racecourse with well-known musicians providing the entertainment.
In October that year we had a dust storm of some magnitude!
In 2009, Toastmasters was formed in Jerilderie.
Our lovely new library was officially opened on April 15, 2009, and in March 2010 the fabulous glass panels for the entrance to the library were officially unveiled.
That same weekend the drought broke!
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And on that note, I wish all readers of the column a very happy, peaceful and safe Easter.
Thank you for your support and providing news items over the years.
I wish Eden Hercus well in her role as new correspondent, and invite you to share your news personal achievements and photos (attached separately and provided with a caption) with her.
There is a new email address to send your news to - justjerilderie@gmail.com. Please include your name and contact details in case further information is required.
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