The Millewa Pioneer Forest & historical society would like to remind you all of our Heritage Open working day on Sunday 2nd of October and hope you can join us in the fun of the day. This year we will be having a sculpture competition in three categories . 1) Fashions from the Paddock, clothing made from junk heap materials of wheat bags, netting, wire mesh, wool packs , plastic etc.. anything at all from scrap. 2) Sculpture for your garden, again made from stuff from your back yard scrap heap. 3) A country Mailbox also from scrap, So come on have some fun and lets see what you can put together. It looks like we have been successful in obtaining a grant to extend the machinery shed another 80 feet , this will allow us to store a larger variety of items for our visitors to see. We have made good use of the Yarrara Hall since we had it moved, the laying of the time capsule was one of those events, we catered to over 50 people that day and they were seated very comfortably, we also catered to the balloon club recently another seating of 50 people, we were pleased to be able to offer them vegetables cooked in our bakers oven as well as golden syrup dumplings. Our trees have been struggling through this drought regardless of them being on a drip system, we replanted another 16 to replace ones that did not make it, thanks to Don Turvey and the Mildura shire council for the trees. Our website is still showing the interest people have in the park , so far we have had 76,000 hits to it ranging from Universities to overseas enquiries, a huge thanks again to John Forrest our local member of the Mallee for funding the hosting and registration of our website for another 2 years. We would also like to welcome John and Denise Baird our most recent committee members and new residents of Meringur, we are looking forward to seeing john's old motors on 2nd of October. Thank you to Terry Ellis for the little cactus garden he has put together near the Yarrara Hall, we have also placed barriers near the Yarrara Hall to avoid people parking on our natives shrubs and running over newly planted trees. We should have a rainwater tank installed to cater to the Yarrara needs in the kitchen thanks to Keith Kelly and the almost lost art of repairing tanks with the old soldering methods and Des Gray for the tank stand. Bush ballad writer and artist Fred Howard of Berri will have a table set up selling his poetry and art books, Fred's Ballads are a real glimpse into the bush and its people. I have a very good feeling that the recent rains will have the Millewa shining for our October open day and with a bit of luck the wildflowers will be rampant. We have made a submission to the Regional Achievement & Community Awards so here is hoping we get a mention in the final results. Work has begun on the photographic display for the Sunday 2nd October open day and this years theme is the machinery the farmers used of that era, if you have any you would like displayed or would like us to have for the day contact me so they may be scanned and reprinted Ian Cremmins Ph.(03) 5028 3332 or email cremmins@hotkey.net.au Joanne Chapple hosted a craft day early July to kick off the Fashions from the Paddock competition and she was pleased with the attendance which included two young ladies from the Werrimull School Kate Teasedale and Fiona Walker, they worked pretty fast and put together in just the few short hours they were there, other classes called them away so they were not able to spend the whole day with us, Debbie Morris accompanied them and seemed to have clear vision as to what was required, together they manufactured a lovely dress and hat combo which can be seen on the 2nd October open day Fred Curtis our president has informed us he may be able to lend us and old tractor to display in the park which is very generous of him. Its nice to see the beautification of Meringur taking place with the grader having been through and trees being planted and the soon to be pine barriers protecting them, it all adds to the experience of visiting the Pioneer Park and was a great initiative by Don Turvey. The move from the kiosk kitchen to the Yarrara Hall kitchen is pretty much finished now with 95% of meals being prepared in the hall and only the odd cup of tea or coffee here and there still done in the kiosk (well what we called the kiosk anyhow). John Baird has been officially appointed as our back up caretaker in regard to opening and shutting the park in case our present caretaker Terry Ellis needs to take time off, Terry has been doing it for 3 years now considering we open 7 days a week 365 days a year we may give him a day off . If anyone is interested in displaying anything heritage on our open day please contact Fred Curtis :President on 5025 2221 or Margaret Kelly : Secretary 5028 2259 or email Kellys7@bigpond.com Des Gray Treasurer 5028 3286. The Ritchie family recently honoured us by spreading their parents ashes on their pioneer tree those that attended were David Thomas Phyllis Thomas Valda Caddle Edward Caddle Jack Young Pat Young Beryl Halpin Kevin Halpin Val Caddle was the daughter of Henry and Irma Richey Block 20 Werrimull http://www.millewapioneerpark.org.au