Wonderful Weekend in Wycheproof
Wycheproof was transformed on the AFL Grand Final Weekend with visitors returning for the school sesquicentennial, King of the Mount, open museums and a fine art photographic exhibition. It was fabulous to see so many taking advantage of the warmer spring weather.
On the Friday afternoon, Wycheproof P12 College had melodies from the School Concert Band drifting through the air, while returning visitors wandered the school grounds and open classrooms. Afterwards, the Sports Complex was sprinkled with gold, and the walls were filled with photographs from all eras, provoking strong memories of school days, school staff, camps and excursions. Several special guests (Jennifer Jolly, Brendan Hogan, Meg Bloomfield, Amy Smith and Julie McLennan) spoke about their connection to the school, reminding everyone how unique it can be growing up in a small rural community.
Saturday saw the streets of Wycheproof lined with visitors to watch fierce competitors test their grit by carrying heavy bags of wheat up the ‘steep slopes’ of Mount Wycheproof. The amazing volunteers and sporting clubs are to be commended for their efforts in ensuring the day was another successful community event. Families and visitors enjoyed a relaxed festival vibe with food trucks and kids’ activities at Centenary Park. The entire crowd came together later to watch the AFL Grand Final live on a big outdoor screen. This was another opportunity for some who had travelled from interstate to re-connect over a festive atmosphere of shared memories.
Len Storey along with many helpers (including John Keane, Eddie McNicol, Noel Gretgrix) spent considerable time installing a windmill in the front school grounds of Wycheproof P12 College (along Mount Street). This set the scene for the monumental weekend and is a tribute to many hands transforming the Wycheproof landscape for the better. The windmill will be an imposing, impressive feature and an attraction for children to visit and learn about an important fixture in rural locations. Len is to be commended for preserving the history of this once essential tool that could, once upon a time, be found dotted all throughout the Mallee.
Sunday was an opportunity to reflect on the past and be immersed in a fine art exhibition over scones, jam and cream. The Wycheproof Historical Society threw the doors open of the Mt. Wycheproof Museum and the Wycheproof Court House for those visitors still in town who wanted to be reminded of the early days and the treasures that can no longer be readily found. Ian Kemp’s “Returning” exhibition was a cultural highlight and a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon under the shady veranda of the Wycheproof Railway Station.
