A lack of response from Jindabyne residents to the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Snowy Mountains Scheme has the chair of the recently formed Snowy Scheme Association, Wally Mills concerned.
“ We are very keen for Jindabyne to be involved in this reunion. Cooma is going to be overwhelmed with people,” Mr Mills said.
“Jindabyne will be losing a wonderful opportunity - not just in being involved in the reunion but in having local business and accommodation providers involved.”
The organisers are expecting a big turnout if the numbers that attended the 50th anniversary are anything to go on. On that occasion thousands of ex- Snowy workers gathered in the major towns to celebrate and to take the opportunity to catch up with friends, relatives and former work mates. This year’s get together is not expected to be as busy as the one ten years ago but a lot of visitors are still expected to come to the region.
Prime Minister Ben Chifley and Governor-General Sir William McKell officially opened the Snowy Scheme in Adaminaby on October 17, 1949. Planning is underway to stage a re-enactment of this occasion in Adaminaby on October 17, 2009.
Mr Mills is hoping that there will be somewhere in Jindabyne over the weekend of the October 25 to 26 for the reunion activities. Plans are in place for Cooma but there is nothing currently planned for Jindabyne, Khancoban or Talbingo, Mr Mills said.
“A lot of the people coming will have worked in these places, or for many, it was where they grew up, and they will be bringing their own families here to visit.”
The Snowy Scheme Association is looking for a smaller, more personal focus for this year’s get together. In Jindabyne they are hoping to find a place where the families can gather, eat lunch and have the time to catch up over a few drinks or coffee.
Spokesman for Snowy Hydro, David Hogan said of the anniversary the reunion would be a very good reason for ex employees to return to celebrate the construction of what is an impressive engineering feat.
“We believe there will be some form of community based reunion to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the construction of the Snowy Scheme, we are told sometime later this year through the Snowy Scheme Association.
“Even though the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority ceased to exist in 2002 and the challenges confronting the very different Snowy Hydro Limited are also now very different, it remains important that the community that benefited from the construction phase continues to recognise the impressive history of the Snowy Scheme,” Mr Hogan said.
Mr Mills is hoping that someone within the Jindabyne community will pick up the challenge. Mr Mills can be contacted on 6452 7321.
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