Warm welcome as the Governor of NSW tours region

Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, the Governor of New South Wales, received a warm welcome in Orange last week, while she toured the region with Mr Dennis Wilson. Her Excellency visited Orange, Eugowra, Canowindra, Millthorpe, and Cowra.

Starting with the NSW SES Orange City Unit Training Evening with local members, Her Excellency and entourage met with the zone commander and deputy zone commander for NSW SES western zone.

This was followed the next day by Her Excellency and Mr Wilson’s visit to Wangarang Industries, where they were shown around by CEO of Wangarang Kevin McGuire. Wangarang put on quite the show for the visiting Vice-Regal couple, all busy with arts and crafts, games, and eager to demonstrate their jobs in the production room. 

Louise Ann Hawkey, from Wangarang Industries, told the Governor how she had skipped swim training to be there for her visit. Her Excellency took such a liking to Ms Hawkey’s story and passion for swimming, she presented her with a Governor's Medallion. 

The Governor’s tour continued to Nashdale Public School and the Life Education NSW Mobile Learning Centre, the NSW DPI Orange Agricultural Institute, Charles Sturt University, then onwards to Eugowra. Here she heard about the various flood recovery activities, and stopped into the Canowindra CWA branch and Blayney for afternoon tea.

On Friday night, the Governor and Mr Wilson joined the community in celebrations at the opening of the Millthorpe Fire Fair, before resting up for the 79th anniversary of the Cowra Prisoner of War Breakout Commemoration events on Saturday morning.

The commemoration ceremony was held at the Australian and Japanese war cemeteries in Cowra. Also in attendance were the Japanese ambassador His Excellency Kazuhiro Suzuki, Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, NSW Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke, and other dignitaries.