2010 Wood Days

Another fantastic result from the 2010 Old Time Wood Days. Over $10,000 was raised in two days, despite the rather threatening weather. This is a tribute to the hard work of the Dyvestyn family, their band of enthusiastic helpers and all those who came along to support them. This is how it all came together.

The approach of Wood Days each year means weeks of planning and getting things ready and then a week out we start to look at the weather forecasts; this year it wasn’t looking too good. This weekend is something we all look forward to so it didn’t matter to us too much, it just meant putting on coats and extra boots. The smell of the campfire and all of the familiar faces down at Milltown on Thursday afternoon welcomed us. On the Friday most of the regular helpers started rolling in and a few new faces for their first Wood Days experience. Due to the forecast weather, a number of the regulars decided not to make the trip, this wasn’t the best decision because in Milltown we only got about five millimetres for the weekend and this was mostly at night; coats were not required.

By the time the gates opened on Saturday morning all the food stalls were set up, and the CIKA stall and the displays. The crowd started strong and continued the same all day finishing with 199 people through the gate, a record for one day. On display was a working saw bench and an axe handle lathe both driven by antique oil engines; there was post and rail fencing getting done by the more experienced and teaching their skills to the younger generation and anyone else who wanted to learn or just to have a yarn. At all times there were Clydesdales working, dragging logs and the sled full of wood. This was done with one or two horses but the highlight each day was seeing the team of five horses in the log wagon pulling an enormous log down the track.

On Saturday night there is a three course meal served up, prepared all day and cooked in camp ovens on the fire. When you are in the bush and get that quality of food it is incredible and a credit to all who get it ready; master chef has nothing on our chefs. A hundred and thirty adults and twenty kids were served for tea and no one goes hungry; there was food left and when nobody can fit in seconds this shows how much work goes into the meal.

Sunday brought 120 more people through the gate, but as with Saturday you see these people staying for two and three hours. Wood Days must be doing something right and this year it was great to see a lot of people carrying out our calendars.

We love Wood Days, we have a great time, we go home absolutely buggered, and in doing all of this I think $20000.00 was raised for CIKA. It is good to do this and have great time but it doesn’t happen without Andrew and Christine Duyvestyn and a big tribe of helpers.

Bring on next year.

Sam, Donna, Nicholas, Thomas and Lucas Taranto

These are the wonderful people who made the Wood Days happen.
Andrew and Christine Dyvestyn and their team.

Andrew and Christine with their grandchildren. Well done everyone, a great effort.

Will this become someone’s table top when it is cleaned up?