Community groups take advantage of local celebrations
A wide range of community groups took advantage of the Australia Day celebrations at Woy Woy to get their messages to the community and to raise much-needed funds for community needs.
The Central Coast Historic Car Club, the Vietnam Veteran's Nambus, the 6th Light Horse Trundle Group, and the TS Hawkesbury Naval Cadets were just a few of the community organisations with unusual exhibits on the eve of Australia Day at Anderson Park.
A re-enactment of the salute by a detachment of Marines at Sydney Cove in 1788 was performed by local members of the Australian Colonial Marine Enactments group.
The group wore replicas of British Marine uniforms of a captain, sergeant and a private of the time and carried, as well as fired replicas of the firearms used in 1788.
The group paraded, marched and demonstrated their musket use and answered many questions from interested spectators.
Unfortunately, the captain lost a silver epaulette from his jacket on Brickwharf Road and has appealed to anyone who has any information about it to contact him via the Peninsula News as it will be very difficult to replace.
Peninsula Mainstreet Coordinator Cr Debra Wales, who organised the event on behalf of Gosford Council and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, was delighted by the turnout with crowd numbers far outweighing expectations.
"In past years, we've had our Australia Day celebrations on Australia Day and crowd numbers have been small with other larger events elsewhere competing.
"This year, it was much more festive and the great atmosphere made it fantastic.
"It was great to see so many young families and older people out safely enjoying the facilities at night.
"The financial responsibility for the evening was carried by the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.
"Stall holders and Paviers Entertainments reported a brisk business and it is likely that this will be the first of many Australia Day Eve celebrations," she said.
"It is also likely that the area around Anderson Park and the wharf will see more events take place now that the upgrade of the vicinity is nearing completion," Cr Wales said.
Cec Bucello January 2