NOTES FOR THE PRIME MINISTER,
ON THE OPENING OF LACHLAN VINTAGE VILLAGE,
FORBES, N. SXW 17 MAY 1975
1. SOMEONE HAS GOT THE IDEA THAT I'M INTERESTED IN
HISTORIC SITES AND OLD RUINS, THESE ARE THE BEST
SIMULATED RUINS I'VE SEEN IN AUSTRALIA, AFTER MY
LAST VISIT To EUROPE, I OPENED OLD SYDNEY TOWN AT
GoSFORD; AFTER MY. VISIT TO. JAMAICA I'M OPENING
LACHLAN VINTAGE VILLAGE.
2. I'M SORRY THERE AREN'T MORE STATE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS
AT THIS OPENING CEREMONY; AT LEAST ONE STATE MINISTER
DECIDED TO BOYCOTT THE OCCASION. ISUPPOSE THE
STATES ARE USED TO LIVING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
ANYWAY. BOB HAWKE WANTED TO COME.. HE THOUGHT A
VINTAGE VILLAGE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH WINE TASTING.
3. THIS IS OUR BIGGEST TOWN PLANNING PROJECT SINCE
ALBURY-WODONGA. TOME UREN IS COMPLAINING THAT WE ARE
BUILDING MORE OLD TOWNS THAN NEW ONES.
1 MUST CONFESS THAT WHEN I WAS INVITED TO OPEN
" AUSTRALIA'S LIVING MUSEUM" I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF
THE SENATE. I KNOW BEN HALL CAME FROM FORBES, BUT
THERE ARE QUITE A FEW BUSHRANGERS IN MY OWN
PROFESSION.
CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE OF FORBES AND ALL AUSTRALIANS
CAN BE PROUD OF THIS SPLENDID AND IMAGINATIVE PROJECT,
IT WILL BRING GREAT DELIGHT TO TOURISTS, THE
COLONIAL HISTORY OF NEW SOUTH WALES IS RICH IN
INCIDENT AND ADVENTURE, THE OLD LACHLAN DIGGINGS,
THE ORIGINS OF AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL TRANSPORT HAVE ALL BEEN
PAINSTAKINGLY RECREATED IN THIS DISPLAY, THE RESULT
IS A TRIBUTE TO THE SKILL OF BUILDERS, DESIGNERS,
WORKMEN, CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS OF THE DISTRICT,
6, THE COMPLETED VILLAGE WILL CONSIST OF 30 TO 40 HOUSES
MUSEUMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, SHOPS, BANKS INSURANCE
OFFICES, PERHAPS? IF COUNTRY PARTY MINISTERS WON'T
ATTEND AT LEAST THE AiMYLP, SHOULD BE HERE,
7, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS CONTRIBUTED $ 100,000
TO THIS PROJECT, IN ADDITION THE GOVERNMENT HAS
CONTRIBUTED $ 105,504 TO THE SCHEME THROUGH
GRANTS UNDER THE REDS SCHEME, THEREBY PROVIDING
ADDITONAL WORK IN THE FORBES DISTRICT,
8, I WISH THIS PROJECT EVERY SUCCESS, I KNOW IT WILL
ATTRACT MANY THOUSANDS OF VISITORS AND MAKE AN
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY AND PROSPERITY
OF THIS DISTRICT, IT WILL ALSO PRESERVE AN AUTHENTIC
FOLK TRADITION AND REMIND US OF THE ARCHITECTURE,
THE TRADITIONS AND THE LIFE-STYLES OF AN EARLIER
AGE,