MP for Riverina Michael McCormack, Margaret Beazley and Catherine McCormack.
Last Friday night Junee community members, Councillors and Ministers attended a Vice-Regal Community Reception in Junee for the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC KC, and her husband, Mr Dennis Wilson, at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory.
The visit was part of Her Excellency’s tour of regional NSW and she delivered a wonderful speech espousing the benefits of country living, the people who call the regions home and the spirit which not only keeps communities together but keeps them thriving.
She spoke about Junee’s unique history of having many of its streets named after NSW Governors, including Lord Augustus Loftus after whom the town of Junee was named from 1878 to 1885.
There was also a performance from 13-year-old Junee High School Year 8 student and singer Lyla Fellows, who performed two songs for the occasion — ‘Welcome to Wonderland’ by Anson Seabra and ‘In the Big Blue World’ from ‘Finding Nemo the Musical’.
Mayor Bob Callow said, “the Governor’s visit went extremely well. She is such a gracious and lovely lady and Mr Wilson was a marvellous fellow as well. He had a great sense of humour and I think everybody enjoyed their visit. Her words to the volunteers and the community were very well received.
“As everybody knows, Junee is just a great little place that gets behind everybody and the evening was well attended and I think everybody had a marvellous time.
“A big shout out to the Licorice Factory for putting on such a splendid night for us all.
“The Governor liked to move throughout the room and talk to as many people as she could. I reiterated her words about how small communities band together and how they just work with each other to achieve a common goal and it really describes Junee very well, like other small country towns as well. We just get in and dig in and do our best and get the job done.
“She made some comments about her husband Mr Wilson planting a tree in Goulburn and I highlighted the fact that we had our own Oak tree planted by a couple of young lads back in the day.
“There was absolutely nothing political or contentious or anything like that. It was just a great evening to get to know the Governor.
“I think it is hugely beneficial for small towns especially for someone of such high rank in the community to come along and not preach or tell you what they are going to do and just to listen and it makes the communities feel respected and I think that is what she did when she visited. She gave us all quite the belief that she very much respected all the places that she has visited and Junee was no exception, she thought it was a lovely town and we had a lot to offer.”
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