MID North Coast Group Country Women’s Association (CWA) President Lynn Moore welcomed nearly 80 members to the 98th Annual Meeting and Conference at the Gloucester Country Club on Tuesday, 27 October.
President of CWA NSW Tanya Jolly and State Secretary Bron Dunstan attended, along with State Vice President Leonie Fish, President of North Coast Group Leonie Saunders, President of Hunter Group Sharon Buck and Vice President of Wanthalla Group Margaret Schofield.
Jolly has been busy over the past few weeks visiting CWA groups across the state as they hold conferences and elect new office bearers. She is also taking part in the Riverina Outback Rally in 2027 – a fundraiser for Country Hope, a family-centred support organisation for children diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
The Mid North Coast Group has 402 members with branches in Bulahdelah, Forster, Gladstone Evening, Gloucester, Gloucester Evening, Kempsey, Kendall, Lake Cathie Hastings, Macksville, Nambucca Evening, Port Macquarie, South West Rocks, Virtual, Wallamba, Wauchope, Wingham and Yarrahappini. Sadly, both Kendall and Yarrahappini branches are closing.
Branch reports highlighted the many community events, activities and fundraisers they’ve been involved in.
Friendship, fundraising and advocacy were common themes in each branch.
President of Nambucca Evening Branch, Jeanette Bailey spoke about “good company, good causes and plenty of good food.”
Wingham’s Julie Deer spoke of the CWA’s strong history of advocating for those who need a voice.
Guest speaker Ms Georgie Laurie, a sales consultant for Breeder Genetics, describes herself as a country woman from birth.
“I was born and raised in Moppy, an hour west of Gloucester,” she told the audience.
“To say that I have a Gloucester pedigree would be an understatement. I’m a daughter of a Laurie and a Webeck, granddaughter of a Hebberwhite and a Maslen and a great-granddaughter of Atkins, Forbes, Yates and Bignell.
”How incredible to be related to such a list of strong country women.”
She paid tribute to the CWA for their work and for how their efforts shaped her life.
“Thank you for calling for seatbelts and random breath testing, for speaking up about the fairness of women’s pay and pushing for equal wages, for school zones and pedestrian crossings, for advocating for the white line on the side of the road and for calling for funds for mobile breast screening.”
By Pauline CAIN
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
