A newly unveiled image on the wall of the Orange CWA hall has revealed a day from the association’s part when the CWA’s efforts helped keep local local babies alive.
The historic photograph from March 1929, shows the day members of the CWA gathered to farewell a woman who had worked as a trained nurse in the hall, then run as a baby health centre.
The photo is the latest to be erected as part of the Future City upgrade of the Orange CBD by Orange City Council.
The Council is positioning historic photos in local vacant shop windows. Plans for murals and ‘green’, plant-covered walls are still in the design phase.
Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd unveiled the new image today.
Orange CWA president Georgina Luscombe said the photo captures a number of elements of what the CWA is about.
“I love this photo,” Ms Luscombe said. “I’m slightly tinged with sadness that the farewell that is depicted is a celebration of a young lady’s career that has to be cut short because she got married and she was no longer able to be a working lady.”
“So I think it serves as a great reminder to everyone here today of how far women’s rights have come.
Ms Luscombe said the photo also revealed a “scene of celebration of women coming together as a community. There’s a cake. There’s lots of children, there’s lot of happiness. There’s a dog. There’s a coffee pot.
“All of that speaks to the ethos of the Country Women’s Association, which is about embracing the community, about acknowledging women’s work, and hospitality, having a little party and acknowledging the work that people have done in the community.”
The historic photos was unearthed after research by Orange City librarian Trudy Mayfield and Council heritage staff member Alison Russell.
