2012 marks the 90th anniversary of the Country Women’s Association of NSW and, to celebrate, the Kellys Plains/Dangarsleigh Branch of the CWA hosted a special luncheon to mark the occasion.
Steeped in its own impressive history, the Kellys Plains/Dangarsleigh Branch also celebrated its 90th birthday, forming on June 26, 1922.
The Country Women’s Association of NSW held their first conference on April 18, 1922, with the first branch in Crookwell formed six days later. In the following weeks many more branches including Kellys Plains/Dangarsleigh were formed, with a total of 22 branches by the end of the year.
The organisation now has an impressive 408 branches, totalling around 10,000 members.
The original aim of the association was to improve the conditions of women on the land, providing friendship and companionship for many women feeling isolated.
This year for the first time in their history, members of the CWA rallied with the NSW Farmers Association and other concerned groups on May 1, to demand better laws to prevent the pollution of water due to Coal Seam Gas extraction and that certain food growing areas be kept free from mining.
“We have around 23 members at our branch, with many of them here today, as well as friends and members from the Armidale Branch of the CWA,” said Lorraine Sewell, Vice President of the Kellys Plains/Dangarsleigh Branch of the CWA.
Many of the ladies immersed themselves in the 90-year history, with the theme of the luncheon being hats, gloves, pearls and handbags.
“We thought, seeing we were celebrating 90 years of the CWA in NSW, that we would bring along a few fashions that were around back then,” said Lorraine.
Members rustled up a scrumptious lunch, with pumpkin and vegetable soup to begin with, followed by a selection of chicken and beef casseroles with veggies. Dessert followed with the 90th birthday celebration cake.
Lorraine joined the CWA Kellys Plains/Dangarsleigh Branch on February 24, 1988 and has over 20 years of wonderful memories and friendships, including running a leg of the torch relay for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
“The friendship was one of the reasons why I joined,” said Lorraine.
“I live on the land and my husband was away shearing a lot and I was the one dealing with all the stock and station agents, buying supplies for the farm, as well as buying and selling stock.
“I knew a lot of men and I would be walking up the street in Armidale and I would say hello to them, but didn’t know their wives.
“The wives would give me a bit of a look and I thought, I better do something about this, so I joined the CWA.”
A highlight for Lorraine in her involvement with the CWA was to serve on the Royal Easter Show Catering Committee for nearly 12 years.
“We would serve tea and scones, fish and chips, sandwiches and cakes,” said Lorraine.
“It was another place where you would meet a lot of people and, after you had been there a couple of years, people would say, great you’re back again, aren’t you terrific.
“We were there for roughly three weeks and people just couldn’t believe that we were doing it for nothing.”
Lorraine is hopeful that the Country Women’s Association of NSW will continue into the future, attracting country women.
“We are still dealing with issues that they were dealing with in 1922,” said Lorraine.
“Roads, water, childcare and attracting doctors into rural areas. All these things are still issues for country people.”
Story: Jo Harrison
