In 2023, Camden celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Celebrate Camden 93 spring festival, initiated by the Camden Chamber of Commerce to boost tourism. Despite initial sponsorship issues, the event drew over 100,000 attendees and was deemed a success. Subsequent festivals struggled with community support, leading to its eventual discontinuation.
Category: Cowpastures Bicentennial
The Cowpastures Bicentennial, Governor Hunter and the Appin Massacre: the memory of the Cowpastures
I often wondered why the cultural material representative of the Cowpastures appeared to have been 'forgotten' by our community. The list of cultural items is quite an extensive include: roads and bridges, parks and reserves; historic sites, books, paintings, articles; conferences, seminars, and workshops; monuments, memorials and murals; community commemorations, celebrations and anniversaries.
Cowpastures’ memories in monuments, memorials and murals.
Many memorials and monuments across the Cowpastures landscape commemorate its history and sense of place, with a recent nostalgic turn focusing on the pioneers and European settlement. War memorials are a ubiquitous form of memorialization in the Macarthur region, and public art, historical sites, and cultural heritage also play significant roles. These commemorations can be controversial, especially considering Australia's dark history, and evoke different memories for different people. Additionally, the landscape of the Cowpastures is interpreted in various ways, including as a colonial frontier, government reserve, and English-style landscape. Various memorials, artworks, and historic sites dot the region, contributing to its identity and history.
A Cowpastures memorial quilt
Hanging on the wall in the Camden Library is a quilt, but no ordinary quilt. It is a hand-made quilt that had previously hung in the foyer of the Camden Civic Centre for many years. The quilt celebrated the Cowpastures Bicentenary (1995) and was made by members of the Camden Country Quilters Guild.
Governor Macquarie’s visit to the Cowpasture 1810
In November 1810, Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1762-1824) and Mrs Elizabeth Macquarie visited the Cowpastures. On that occasion, the Governor and Elizabeth Macarthur met the Dharawal people.
Cowpastures Bicentennial Celebrations 1995, the beginning of a settler society
Local festival In 1995, the Camden community held a 12-month programme of events to celebrate the bicentennial of the naming of the Cow Pastures by Governor Hunter in 1795 and the discovery of 61 head of wild cattle. The discovery of the cattle herd was an important event in the life of the fledgling colony… Continue reading Cowpastures Bicentennial Celebrations 1995, the beginning of a settler society
