Wallendbeen will soon join an exclusive group of communities who can boast painted grain silos.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council will use developer contributions to paint the silos; the theme will honour the village’s contribution to World War I.
The council has also been given $95,000 thanks to the state government’s Heritage Near Me program to improve the village’s conservation area with a memorial drive.
Those funds will replace trees and add plaques for the 90 men who served in World War I and the 18 who didn’t return.
The work is part of the council’s strategy for the village which aims to improve economic development and attract visitors.
“Overall the projects will celebrate the unique history of Wallendbeen, conserve and restore heritage items, encourage visitors to spend time in the village and generate community pride,” mayor Abb McAlister said.
Resident Marcia Thorburn who helped plot out the works needed for the conservation area said the whole community was “delighted” to receive the funding.
Mrs Thorburn said the memorial drive would link the memorial hall and cenotaph together.
“It builds on what has been done already,” she said.
Wallendbeen Hotel owner Stephen “Groover” Holder welcomed the move to improve the village.
Mr Holder said the community which had been caring for the Cenotaph themselves by volunteering time and materials.
Over the years, that work included planting poppies, laying aggregate and replenishing the flags flying over the memorial.
“A lot of people in the community have worked to maintain and improve the Cenotaph,” Mr Holder said.
He said Rod Ward, John Walsh, Tom Grace, Greg Quick, Ken Thorburn and Andrew Holihan had donated their own time to improve the war memorial following a renovation in 2013.
Mr Holder said the next step would be to create powered camping sites at the oval to attract visitors and create an income stream to help maintain the village’s recreation facilities.