By Callum Ludwig
After celebrating its 91st anniversary earlier this year, the Wandin branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) has been immortalised in town.
A new mural depicting some of the historic contributions from the branch over the years has been installed as part of the Wandin Station Historic Mural project on the Lilydale to Warburton Trail.
Wandin and Wanallock CWA branch members visited the murals to watch the installation and the President of the Wandin CWA branch Lyndall Rowe said it’s really good to have the CWA represented.
“Hopefully people will realise that the CWA is here and see the community service we’ve put in here over the 91 years and recognise just how much we’ve done, the mural project is really lovely, and it’s great to see so much community involvement,” she said.
“Hopefully it encourages new members as well, we are always looking for and welcoming new members.”
The mural depicts a chronological order of significant events or practices in the history of the Wandin CWA branch and was painted by artist Mary Newham.
“It starts with the group of girls who ran a princess carnival which raised money to build the hall, then it shows ladies who walked with their children to meetings because cars weren’t common then and it was also the Mothers and Babies centre at the time,” Ms Rowe said.
“The next shows when the hall was used as a war office, and ladies knitted socks and so forth to send to soldiers. The bus represents the holiday house they used to own in Somers, where they would go for outings.”
“Then there was the choir, which was successful and ran for about 20 years, the ladies doing craft for hospitals, ambulances and fire relief, the Devonshire tea and scones follows, of course, the introduction of guest speakers and finally front and centre is our hall.”
The Wandin CWA mural can now be found at the old Wandin Station on the trail, alongside four other new murals installed by Gavan McIntyre.
Wandin and Wanallock CWA members appreciate the Wandin Seville Branch of the Bendigo Bank for the opportunity to have a mural to tell the story of 91 years in the Wandin.
