In honour of the Chinese men and women who came to the Lambing Flat goldfields in the 1860s, the Family History Group has been raising funds for a plaque to pay tribute to one Chinese resident in particular, whose life embodied the work ethic and civic-mindedness he and his country-men demonstrated.
“The Family History Group in Young has been working hard behind the scenes for a few years now to produce a plaque honouring the life of Mr George Moohong,” Hilltops Council Tourism Manager David Newberry explained.
“Mr Moohong was one of a number of Chinese who stayed in the area following the gold-rush. He lived a long life and was a well-respected member of the community,” he said.
An excerpt from the ‘Young Witness’ dated July 27, 1955 reflects his high-standing in the area:
‘His cheery nature, seen on his visits to town each Saturday, has made him a favourite with many people in the town, especially those in Main St.’
Mr Newberry said the plaque honouring Mr Moohong will be unveiled at 10am on Saturday 24 March in the ‘Old Cemetery’ portion of the cemetery’s Anglican section.
In addition to the plaque unveiling, the Festival’s main day will also feature the official opening of the 10th ‘Lambing Flat Sculpture, Wood and Big Art Exhibition’.
“Sally Hofman from the Young District Arts Committee will officially open the exhibition on Wednesday 21 March at 7:00pm in the Town Hall,” Mr Newberry said.
“For art lovers there will also be the ‘Gap Exhibition’ located in the Burrangong Gallery at the Young Visitor Information Centre,” he said.
The Hilltops Library in Young will play host to a number of events leading into the festival including a talk by Robyn Atherton about her book ‘They were more than just gold diggers: the Chinese of Murrumburrah and surrounding districts: 1860s-1960s’, as well as the popular ‘Bush Poets’.
The Lambing Flat Folk Museum will be open to the public for free on the festival’s main day, providing the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to explore the museum, while the Millard Centre will host the Artisan and Boutique Markets as traditional Chinese music fills the streets outside.
The Gold Trail Re-enactment Group will also be presenting the Commissioners Tent where they will be patrolling the historic gold fields and demonstrating three volley shots.
For a full program of events, head to: www.visithilltopsregion.com.au
To read the full historical article from the Young Witness, head to: https://www.visithilltopsregion.com.au/chinese-heritage-in-young/
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Media contact:
Hilltops Council Tourism Manager David Newberry: (02) 6380 1200 or 0417 458 725.