Success for Hume’s Hey Day

A WEEK of rain and hail was not enough to dampen the spirit of a bright and sunny Hume’s Hey Day in Yass on Sunday.

The rolling hills, the lush pastures and the faint smell of several open fires greeted about 500-600 visitors who passed through the gates at Cooma Cottage for the event.

They were not only blessed with mild and sunny Autumnal weather, but treated to an historic taste of yesteryear with a myriad of antique displays, live performances, historic demonstrations and colonial attractions celebrating the occasion.

Organiser Sue Gaffney said she couldn’t be more pleased with the atmosphere of the event.

“The atmosphere was just fantastic , it was a really happy day,” Ms Gaffney told Scoop.

Holly Rapley and Amy Hants. PHOTO Katharyn Brine

“We were a little disappointed we had to cancel some of the activities we’d planned because of the deluge the day before, but everybody had a good time.”

Organisers had been forced to postpone the event two weeks prior due to inclement weather, and with three hailstorms hitting Yass and surrounds the day before the rescheduled event, knuckles were white with anxiety.

But they needn’t have worried, as the car park remained full with visitors throughout the day taking advantage of a break in the weather.

Ms Gaffney said supporters and volunteers dressed up in traditional costume for the day, and they managed to attract a surprise influx of parasol-laden, heavy-skirted historical society visitors from Harden and Cootamundra as well.

“It made it a really special day for everybody, we didn’t even know they were coming!”

Emma and Crystal Watt with Peter, Sally and Tracey Oostermeyer. PHOTO Katharyn Brine

Attractions included a Cobb & Co. coach from Cowra, a demonstration from the Yass Spinners and Weavers, dog-trap rides, a butter-churning demonstration, poetic performances from Australian Champion Bush poet Robyn Sykes and games from the colonial era including egg and sack races and tugs-o-war.

There was also a traditional blacksmith forging steel, silhouette imaging by artist Jeff Pearce, and a winnower machine used by Charlie Hedges in the 1940s for cleaning grain ready for sowing (and proudly demonstrated by descendent Max Hedges and his friend David Thorn).

Ms Gaffney said they had planned to have two “bushrangers” ride in at high speed and “hold up” the stage coach, but the soft wet ground proved too risky.

Other events had to be cancelled too, including a milking cow demonstration, sheep shearing demonstration (there were no dry sheep to shear), a side-saddle horse riding exhibition (cancelled because of a horse float malfunction) and a visit from the record-breaking Clydesdales made famous from Woo Back (cancelled due to owner injury).

“But the kids all had a fantastic time and I think that’s the main thing. If you involve all the kids, they bring their parents and their grandparents to play old-fashioned games … everyone just has such a great time.”

Good old-fashioned tug-o-war. PHOTO Katharyn Brine

Cooma Cottage manager Rick Williams said it was encouraging to see so many people take an interest in the event.

“It’s very uplifting for the volunteers and lets them see their efforts are worthwhile,” he told Scoop.

He estimated nearly one in every two cars in the car park was from the ACT, and he felt the event was good for tourism and good for the Yass Valley economy.

“And apart from the monetary value, it brings people into Yass town and gives the volunteers more inspiration to help look after Cooma Cottage and share its beauty with the Yass Valley.”

A photo gallery showcasing the day will be uploaded shortly.