Future of Toodyay Agricultural Show depends on committed supporters

By Alison Wroth & Karen Dore
AFTER the successful celebration of our 170th Anniversary Toodyay Agricultural Show last year, we hope you’re as excited as we are for another wonderful event – don’t worry, it’s coming up quickly!

The future of agricultural shows, including ours, depends on the passion and commitment of the generations who support them.

The history of the Toodyay Agricultural Society, and the enduring presence of the Show, keeps families – both old and new – returning year after year, along with visitors who come to experience this unique tradition.

The Toodyay Showgrounds themselves are part of the attraction, with their historical exhibition pavilion and purpose-built buildings designed by farmers and Committee members of years long past.

For many locals, the Show holds deep sentimental value, creating cherished memories of fireworks viewed from the oval, thrilling show rides, reunions with friends and the special evening ambience.

These are memories that we know should continue to be created, they are worth preserving and passing on to future generations.

To ensure the continued success of this historic event, we need the support of community members who are willing to lend a hand.

Whether you’re interested in joining the Committee, learning how the Show is organised, or simply helping during Show Week, your involvement will provide invaluable stability, steadiness and energy to our Society.

If you’re interested in being part of Toodyay’s oldest community tradition, we invite you to our “Get Involved Gig!” on Saturday 8 February, from 1pm to 3pm in the Youth Hall at the Toodyay Showgrounds.

Our 2025 AGM will follow shortly after on Monday 10 February, at 7pm, also in the Youth Hall. Join us for a cuppa and nibbles before or after the meeting.

Let’s come together to celebrate our history and build a bright future for the Toodyay Show.

We can’t wait to see you!

And another Toodyay festival bites the dust..

Sean Hefferon
IN THE week before Christmas Toodyay Shire councillors voted to cancel the Toodyay International Food Festival – an event that had run for 19 years in conjunction with the Avon Descent.

The following councillors in Cr Dival, Duri, McCormick, McKeown, Wrench and Prater endorsed the officer’s recommendation “to not run the food festival in 2025 in favour of embarking on a new approach for the running of events to create smaller events in the main street of Toodyay that benefits local business, community and tourism”.

Cr Madasci voted against the recommendation.

Local young achiever to compete in world dragon boat championships

Sean Hefferon
LOCAL teenager Jayden Hansord will be representing Australia at the 17th World
Dragon Boat Championships to be held in
Germany in July 2025.

He is one of only three West Australians
chosen for the under 18 division Auroras
Australian Juniors Squad to compete in the
open competition.

You might think that Jayden sounds
familiar –– he was named the 2024 Young
Community Citizen of the Year for his role in
leading the Toodyay District High School’s
cadet unit and is now completing Year 12 at
Northam this year.

Country copper busy living and singing

Sean Hefferon
DARREN Gillis has been busy living his country music dreams. Big dreams that saw him last month playing in Tamworth – the home of the Big Golden Guitar. He was invited to play at the Tamworth Country Music Festival as a top 5 finalist in the radio 2TM Discovered Competition.

Budding country singers the world over would break more than a few guitar strings to play at the Australian festival which is the second biggest country music festival in the world after the big show in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Tamworth has been the culmination of several months of touring for Darren who has been strumming his guitar in places as far afield as Shark Bay, Kalbarri and Green Head.

Along the way he was first place winner at the 2024 Lancelin Busker Festival where
he said, “I got poached by a fella that runs the Chapman Valley Country Music Festival who said I should have a crack at the Emerging Artists and I did and ended up
winning that, which is fantastic.”

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We are now in Birak: the “Season of the Young”

By Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation

FOR THOUSANDS of years, Noongar people lived in tune with the land, guided by the six Bonar (Seasons), which span from season of fertility to season of adulthood.

These seasons – Makuru, Djilba, Kambarang, Birak, Bunuru, and Djeran – guided Noongar families in their seasonal movements, food sourcing, and stewardship of the land and each season offers unique insights into life and survival on Country.

As we approach summer, we enter Birak, the ‘Season of the Young’. Birak marked a time of transformation and crucial land management practices, like controlled burns which helped care for the land and ensured its health.

Birak – The Season of the Young (December/January) Colour Symbolism: Red and brown
symbolise Birak, reflecting the warm tones of the drying earth at the start of summer in
the Noongar cycle.

These colours are tied to the season’s Kaarla (fire) practices, which renew the land
and sustain its health.

Nature thriving and new beginnings: Birakbrings warmth as the Boorong (rains) ease
and the land begins to dry out.

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Vollies are ready for the fire season

Coondle – Nunile Volunteer
Bush Fire Brigade
By Aurelie Zimmermann, Secretary
SUMMER is here which means callouts; that so far have mainly been tree and grass fires, however we expect the number of turnouts will increase as we move deeper into the fire season.

In excellent news we welcomed a new member this past month and he has completed
all the foundation courses and is now ready to join the crews on the fireground.

Welcome aboard, Sebastiaan.

Our last training session saw us driving around the Coondle area to familiarise
ourselves with emergency egress.

 

It is vital no one interferes with any egress locks or gates as those can be a tremendous
asset in emergency response.

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Backflip on public pool management

Sean Hefferon
LAST month Toodyay Shire confirmed it was unable to manage the public swimming pool for the 2024/25 season.

Reasons for this decision include thelack of qualified staff and professional management.

According to a recent public notice by Shire President Cr McKeown the shire had been faced with the immediate closure of the public swimming pool last month – “due to legacy issues inherited from the previous contractor operator”.

Clublinks, a national company that manages fitness and aquatic centres exited their contract with the shire on June 30, five months before the contract end date.

Their departure came several months after a new council leadership team was voted in
with a focus on a shire managed recreation centre including the public swimming pool.

The shire also confirmed that Clublinks had not been contacted regarding the matter, before the public notice was issued.

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Gardening for the benefit of the local community

Toodyay Community Garden
Rosemary Madacsi, Secretary
THE TOODYAY Community Garden has been busy since first meeting on May 28 and membership continues to grow.

Professional concept designs have been completed, money pledged and alternative sites considered by the membership.

The last hurdle is to find a site with location central to meet our objectives – To create a harmonious environment in which to bring community together, to garden and share knowledge and skills of sustainable food production.

A central location with level and disabled community access and basic amenities is critical to achieve inclusion of children and our seniors.

The aim of this project is not just gardening but a place to socialise, support physical activity and community connections

The garden will provide opportunities to learn sustainable living skills and acquire local knowledge and lived experiences by being accessible and inclusive.

The vacated Fiennes Street tennis courts are the first choice due to its central location and existing infrastructure.

The group submitted an interest in this site on May 30 following council’s April resolution to seek expressions of interest.

The resolution to consider the site use and any expressions of interest at the August 28 council meeting was delayed until a Facilities and Building review was completed.

Huge thanks to Fiona and Rory Davin of Stirling House for their generosity in providing the rear of their property as a place to store needed resources.

We also thank others who have offered help.

Unfortunately, the delay in finding a site has meant the winter and spring opportunity to start the gardens was lost as was community garden funding on offer.

Our focus is now on moving forward and how to provide activities and a range of learning opportunities for the community, while we wait for a home.

Concept design

Roasted Bardi is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside

Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation

THIS month we highlight some bush foods traditionally used by Noongar moort (families) across the Toodyay Valley.

Contrary to colonial misconceptions that Noongar people relied mainly on large djaat (game), about 80 per cent of their traditional diet came from mereny (plant foods) and small djaat (small game).

Including vegetable roots like yanget (bulrush), warrany (yam), and djubak (orchid tuber), as well as yerenburt (fruits/berries), kwolak (grains/seeds).

Included also were animals like yerderap (duck), djidong (small lizards), kaarda (goanna), noorn (snakes), kwenda (bandicoot), and minga (insects/larvae).

KAARDA (Goanna)
Kaarda is valued for its taste and nutritional benefits and after removing the internal organs and cleaning, it is cooked in the ashes of a kaarla (campfire).
The oil from kaarda is also used to treat skin ailments and though difficult to catch kaarda are often found in burrows.
Noongar people have used rock slabs on granite outcrops to create kaarda-mia (goanna shelters) designed to trap them.
Many of these shelters once common across Noongar country, have been removed or damaged due to various factors, including land development and the use of granite slabs for gardens and construction.

Huge crowd enjoys 170th Toodyay Show on a perfect day

Toodyay Agricultural Society
Alison Wroth

ONE THING a country town needs is an event that brings individuals and businesses together.

One of those special events, our historic 170th Anniversary Toodyay Agricultural Show occurred on Saturday October 5.

Gate numbers of over 5000, the smiles and constant activity showed the committee
efforts had been worthwhile – put your hand up if you agree.

We are very proud of our history and since the Society’s establishment in 1853, the iconic Toodyay Agricultural Show has played a key role in our community and we always aim to celebrate this.

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