Heritage Festival

The Bridgetown Greenbushes Heritage Festival will be celebrated from Monday 17th April to Sunday 23rd April.

The festival is being held in conjunction with Australian Heritage Festival that commences 10th April and runs to 14th May with the theme of ‘Shared Stories’.

Karen Hill, Manager Visitor Servicing at the Tourist Centre gives us a guide to the week’s activities, “We are encouraging all local residents as well as the tourists to take full advantage of what is on display.

Bridgetown itself is special, it being the only Heritage listed town in the south west, so there will be a lot to see and do, plus many a Devonshire tea to try.

“Monday to Saturday of the festival the Police Station Museum will be open from 10am to 1pm, with free entry, with stories from early Bridgetown.

Bridgetown History Walks are holding a guided walk each afternoon starting at 11am. These will be at half price for the week, bookings essential.

The two iconic churches of the town will also be opened, Saint Paul’s Anglican Church on the 19th April with viewing from 4pm to view the magnificent sculptural pieces within the church that were created by Bridgetown’s master craftsman Gordon Holdsworth, followed by a Gospel Singalong with Mary Myfanwy and Daun Crozier at 5.30pm.

Then on Sunday 23rd April, 10.30am – 11.30am, the Uniting Church will have an Open Morning after their regular Sunday service. This is where you can step inside the oldest surviving church in Bridgetown and a former Methodist Church, constructed of local stone in a Federation Gothic style. Morning tea will be available, all are welcome.

’Bridgedale House’ will hold an Open Day on Friday 21st April from 10am to 3.30pm with free entry. You will be able to see inside the oldest building (1862) in Bridgetown and hear the stories of the past and present uses of the buildings and beautiful gardens. The Bridgetown Urban sketchers will be on the grounds and invite the public to come and have a go at sketching.

Of course, there is a lot more being celebrated, there is 100 years of the CWA Bridgetown Branch being open, over fifty-seven years of the Bridgetown Art and Craft Centre along with ‘potted history from Bridgetown Pottery Restaurant, and Ford House circa 1896 will be holding a guided tour on Sunday morning, At the Bridgetown Library a special ‘Rhyme Time’ will be held on Wednesday.

Greenbushes is holding a Mining Heritage Festival. Here you will be to explore the history of the first tin mining town of Greenbushes. There will be ambles, walks, displays and mining activity-type skills competition.

Greenbushes is where tin was first discovered in Western Australia in 1886 and mined in 1888. There will be free entry to the Discovery Centre and activities at Heritage Park, Greenbushes.

The CWA Greenbushes Belles will also be celebrating their history on the Saturday between 10am – 2pm, serving up an ‘Old Time Tea’ in the Garden, in traditional attire using tested CWA Recipes.

Donnelly River will also be on display with Sharing Our Stories: A Kid’s View; Growing up at Donnelly River, a WA Timber Mill Town. All are welcome to come and visit the Friends of Donnelly Village Museum on Monday 17th and meet Tim and Kathleen Larsen who spent time at the Donnelly as kids when their dads worked at the Mill. Gold coin donation entry.

There is also a must see for all little treasure located inside the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Visitors Centre. The Brierley Jigsaw Gallery, with free entry to the gallery for one day, 22nd April from 10am to 2pm.

Learn all about the history of Jesse Brierley and the gallery from volunteers. The gallery houses some of the world’s largest and smallest jigsaw puzzles and features the new collection on display the ‘Descendants’ collection. The gallery is thought to be the largest collection of its type in the southern hemisphere. The Visitors Centre will also exhibit historic displays on the day.”

For further information on the Heritage Festival call the team at the Bridgetown Greenbushes Visitors Centre on 9761 1740 or visit www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf or www.bridgetown.com.au for event links.