General News
11 November, 2025
Celebrating fifty years of service
A local branch of the Country Women’s Association had plenty of reasons to celebrate recently as they marked 50 years service to the local community. Members of Beaufort’s Lilyana branch of the CWA caught up recently to mark their important milestone. Around fifty attended the event held at the Beaufort Community Centre including Mayor Tanya Kehoe, Member for Ripon Martha Haylett MP and Beaufort Group President Kate Tol.
Many past members joined in and reminisced with each other about the good times they enjoyed in the branch.
Elisabeth Humphries MC’d the event and invited foundation member Denise Camm to share the minutes of the inaugural meeting held on 23 October, 1975 in the Beaufort CWA Hall.
At that time, there were sixteen ladies present.
Back in 1975, most of the members were young mothers who joined Lilyana to have fun together away from their daily domestic chores and raising their children.
At that time, Lil McConkey acted as a mentor to the new branch and she wrote plays and skits which the members enjoyed performing.
The members also sang in a choir which competed with other groups sometimes travelling long distances to perform.
The fundamental idea at the time was to have fun and enjoy each other’s company and not be too serious.
In the fifty years since its formation, one hundred and twenty-five ladies have joined the branch which now has junior members.
A celebratory cake baked by Lyn Fleay and decorated by Maxine Grant was cut by Denise Camm and Joan White – both Foundation members.
Wendy Smith was guest pianist on the day and a superb exhibit of outfits made by the ladies of Lilyana for the Agricultural Show Recycled clothing event.
