The Bush Music Club conducted a delightful weekend gathering at Sofala from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 November 2016. More than 60 people attended the event and all reports were most favourable. The flavour of the weekend was designed to be laid back with performances in the township and workshops in the Memorial Hall.
In this, the event exceeded our expectations with attendees coming from as far as Can- berra, Mudgee, Sydney, Wollongong, Evans Plains, the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and Orange. On the Saturday Concert we were entertained by many of the musicians, including a Scottish bagpipe player during a heavy downpour of rain.
The workshops covered such items as the works of Joe Yates and the Central West gen- erally along with singalongs of favourite bush songs and a Waltzathon (where we were joined in the dancing by people from a bikers group in town for the weekend!)
Joe Yates's cottage outside & inside
Joe photographed by John Meredith in 1983 (BMC archives)
Old Sofala Gaol - Cafe, Museum and accommodation
Among the many enjoyable parts of the weekend was the campfire on Friday evening at the Sofala Showground where the BMC Concert Party folk and other musicians and friends sat around and played bush music at supper time. The entertainment lasted well into the night.
Our grateful thanks are due to the BMC members who contributed so unselfishly to the success of the event and to the friends and family members who joined us and made huge contributions to the event with cooking, preparing morning and afternoon teas and meals.
All in all, a good time was had by all at Sofala. Allen Davis
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Friday evening BBQ & session @ the Showground
Can't have a BBQ without flies!
or a dog.
or a session without a fire
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Saturday & Sunday - workshops & sessions in the Hall & pub.
Saturday's dinner was a BBQ at Joe Yates's cottage, followed by a concert in the Hall on a wild stormy night. Rain on the iron roof drowned out the harp, but the piper was always heard!
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Sunday workshops included 123 Waltzes - members of the public, including a number of Harley riders were watching so as Tony wanted a dancing partner he just taught a rider to waltz & several others joined in. Then everyone went to morning tea
photos - Sandra Nixon
We hope to be back next year, in the meantime why not visit Sofala & the goldfields region?
Accommodation in Sofala includes the Old Gaol & Joe Yates's cottage
http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/bathurst-area/sofala
Western Goldfields Museum
• 82 Upper Turon Rd, SOFALA NSW 2795 • Ph: 02 6337 7196
• Privately owned museum (owner and curator Richard Wigglesworth), housed in brick cottage and outbuildings. His collection includes stationary engines, early electrical gear and goldfield relics. He also specialises in electro-technological equipment, including electro-medical and x-ray material.
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