GULGONG DISTRICT SOLDIERS MEMORIAL ROTUNDA CELEBRATES 100 YEARS
The Gulgong community came together on the weekend to celebrate one hundred years since the Gulgong District Soldiers Memorial Rotunda was officially opened in Memorial Park by the then Mayor, Wade Gudgeon.
Construction of the Rotunda commenced in 1916, two years before World War One ended.
It is believed to be one of the oldest memorial rotundas and the second oldest war memorial in Australia.
The Gulgong Progress Association managed to pull together the funds for the rotunda in 1916, at a cost of 244 pounds. In a country town in a nation at war, it was an amazing effort.
Thank you to the Gulgong RSL Sub-branch for their hard work and dedication in refurbishing the rotunda and organising a truly historic day for Gulgong.
No event in Gulgong is complete without a little music from Des Kelly and I joined Des to perform Waltzing Matilda after the formalities had concluded.
The service and sacrifice of those from the Gulgong district will never be forgotten. Around 400 children at preschools across the Calare electorate will be given the opportunity to learn a second language this year, thanks to the Australian Government’s $15 million Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program.
Yeoval Preschool will be taking part in the program and our local pre-schoolers will be learning the Italian language. We know the positive impact learning a second language can have on a child’s engagement and development so it’s encouraging to see so many preschools in Calare taking part in the program.
This will be the start of a life-long interest in language learning for our local children while at the same time boosting their English and problem-solving skills.
ELLA is a digital, play-based program where preschool children use a series of interactive applications.
It is designed for use by educators who do not have formal language training and extensive support, training and resources are provided to assist educators in the effective delivery of early language learning and cultural awareness. More details about the program can be found at www.ella.edu.au