A rare set of circumstances has recently led to equipment worth thousands of dollars being gifted to the Millicent Show Society.
The Millicent-based Bedford garden and outside maintenance crew has just taken delivery of new ride-on lawn mowers. The previous mower had been regularly serviced and had much of its working life ahead but was surplus to requirements. As a result, Bedford decided to donate it to the Millicent Show Society for use on its vast 32-acre showgrounds.
The ex-Bedford mower will not be called on to cut every square centimetre of the grounds but Millicent Show Society president Neville Copping said his volunteers will make good use of the superseded equipment.
On behalf of the society, Mr Copping has thanked Bedford for its generosity. His society is putting Federal Government grants totalling $90,000 to good use with the Millicent Show in just over five months’ time on November 5-7.
Mr Copping has thanked Member for Barker Tony Pasin for securing the $75,000 grant to upgrade the dining hall known as Vera’s Kitchen. “All the commercial kitchen equipment has arrived and we are fitting out the kitchen now,” he said. “We hope local groups will use the hall for their meetings.
“Tony Pasin and the Federal Government gave Millicent a $15,000 grant as we could not stage a show in 2020 due to COVID.” Mr Copping said ex-MP Mitch Williams had played a role in ground improvements in a practical way.
“Mitch has a cherry-picker and he removed some 60-year-old cypress pine trees which were damaging the shearing shed,” he said. “He was helped by his son Duan Williams, local farmer Mick Brennan and a couple of others and they were here for two or three days.”
The show president has an upbeat view about this year’s event. “All the regular attractions at the show will be back in 2021 including the yard dogs, horses, motorbikes and fireworks,” he said. “Chris Sperou, the 82-year-old stunt pilot, will be putting on a display like he did at Millicent a few years ago.
“All the Show Society committee positions have been filled but we are looking for a new secretary after a resignation a month ago. “The committee is getting the show book together and speaking to our 50 sponsors.”
Mr Copping said the RV park occupancy figures were improving year-on-year with 11 vehicles there over Christmas.
