HAWKESBURY MACQUARIE 2010 BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Hawkesbury City Council

Heritage costumed stilt walkers leading a walk around Richmond Park to the Macquarie commemorative plaque unveiling location. Commemorative plaques were laid in four of the five Macquarie towns located in the Hawkesbury (Pitt Town, Richmond, Wilberforce and Windsor). In Richmond the plaque unveiling was held in conjunction with the opening of improvements to Richmond Park on Sunday 7 November. The event had a heritage theme and was very well received by the community with in excess of 400 people in attendance. This event was one of Hawkesbury City Council’s signature events staged to support community celebrations throughout the year. A commemorative plaque working party was formed with four members of the Hawkesbury Macquarie 2010 Committee and a staff member. The working party worked on the design, layout and wording of the four plaques

The celebrations involved the planning and delivery of a coordinated program of 77 community and Council events to mark the legacy of Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie, with a focus on their influence on the development and landscape of the City of Hawkesbury.

Celebrations commenced July 2009 with a prelude event attended by the Governor of NSW. This gained momentum for the formal year of events which ended January 2011 when a final plaque was unveiled to commemorate the ‘Macquarie Town’ of Wilberforce.

The Hawkesbury community has a strong tradition of organising itself to celebrate and communicate its vibrant history. The naming of its five Macquarie townships was a seminal event and understandably the community wished to celebrate the bicentenary of this significant milestone. Celebrations were achieved with no additional staff resources, an extremely limited budget and in a number cases left a lasting tangible reminder of the Bicentenary.

  • Cultural Officer

    Keri Whiteley ()

  • Award Category

    Programs Projects and Partnerships – Division C

Photos

    • Heritage costumed stilt walkers leading a walk around Richmond Park to the Macquarie commemorative plaque unveiling location. Commemorative plaques were laid in four of the five Macquarie towns located in the Hawkesbury (Pitt Town, Richmond, Wilberforce and Windsor). In Richmond the plaque unveiling was held in conjunction with the opening of improvements to Richmond Park on Sunday 7 November. The event had a heritage theme and was very well received by the community with in excess of 400 people in attendance. This event was one of Hawkesbury City Council’s signature events staged to support community celebrations throughout the year. A commemorative plaque working party was formed with four members of the Hawkesbury Macquarie 2010 Committee and a staff member. The working party worked on the design, layout and wording of the four plaques

      Heritage costumed stilt walkers leading a walk around Richmond Park to the Macquarie commemorative plaque unveiling location. Commemorative plaques…

    • Proclamation Day (celebrating the day on which Macquarie proclaimed the four towns in the Hawkesbury) involved a full day of events coordinated between Council, St Matthews Anglican Church, Windsor Business group and community groups. The Windsor plaque, as well as some interpretive signage for the Governor Macquarie statue, was unveiled by the Governor of NSW, Marie Bashir AO CVO at one of the four events held on the day. The finale of the day - Sunday 5 December - was a Community Appreciation Function where the work of community volunteers and event organisers was acknowledged by the Governor and gifts of commemorative Macquarie Dictionaries were presented to the Macquarie 2010 Committee members on behalf of the Council.

      Proclamation Day (celebrating the day on which Macquarie proclaimed the four towns in the Hawkesbury) involved a full day of events coordinated between…

    • Interpreting portraits - Macquarie 1810-2010 exhibition (10 December 2010 – 6 February 2011) at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery. One of Hawkesbury City Council’s signature events was a fascinating and original look at Macquarie’s persona and how portraits can reveal unexpected aspects of an individual. The exhibition featured colonial portraits of Macquarie and his contemporaries, as well as new works interpreting Macquarie and his times by Anne Zahalka (pictured with her artwork), Alan Jones, Guy Maestri, Danie Mellor, Izabela Pluta, Ben Quilty and Luke Temby. Artwork titled "Lachlan Macquarie the younger and shells, Elizabeth Henrietta Campbell and Lepidoptera; Mrs Elizabeth H. Macquarie with Algae; Lachlan Macquarie Junior with Coleoptera; Governor of New South Wales and his insects; Lachlan Macquarie and his Lepidoptera".

      Interpreting portraits - Macquarie 1810-2010 exhibition (10 December 2010 – 6 February 2011) at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery. One of Hawkesbury City…

    • Hawkesbury City Council gave away 12 'Governor Macquarie' Roses during 2010. In 2009 a new rose was developed as a permanent reminder of the Bicentenary event and as a ‘lead’ to communicate information about it and Governor Macquarie. The rose was planted in Council’s gardens and by the general public. The Rose Society of NSW supported the idea and a well regarded rose breeder, Trevor Grant, resided in the Hawkesbury LGA. He was willing to be part of the project, providing a rose that was ready for market. Communication of the bicentenary rose and its proposed name with Swane’s Nurseries, led to it committing to commercialisation and growing up in time for 2010. Winners of the 'Governor Macquarie' Rose for the months of January, February and March were presented with their roses at the official launch of the rose on 14 April 2010 by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales.

      Hawkesbury City Council gave away 12 'Governor Macquarie' Roses during 2010. In 2009 a new rose was developed as a permanent reminder of the…

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This is a photo of the 2010 Shellharbour Reconciliation Day Flag Walk ceremony with students, Aboriginal Elders and community members waving the flags. Previous Unveiling of the plaques by the Heritage Council NSW and Mayor John Bowell, Kempsey Shire Council 15 October 2010 Next

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