Originally published April 23, 1959
WENTWORTH was embarrassed by the terrific response to its Centenary procession when an estimated 14,000 people crowded the old town.
At midday it was impossible to obtain food in the cafes, and many were forced to close while awaiting fresh supplies.
World traveller Mrs W. C. Wentworth, said she had never seen “a more terrific procession” than that which marked Wentworth’s Centenary.
Mr J. J. Clark, MHR, said he was amazed at the thousands of hours of work which had gone into the beautiful and original floats seen in the two-hour parade.
People lined the whole of the route and began to assemble before 8 o’clock.
Police did a remarkable job with procession marshals in keeping the traffic flow going with only minor hitches.
Officer-in-charge of Wentworth police (Sergeant R. D. Lawson) estimated that nearly 2500 vehicles had come over the bridges from Victoria.
At least 120 floats and individual marching units formed the biggest procession in Sunraysia’s history.
At 10.45am, hundreds rushed to the marshaling square between Wentworth’s oldest hotels, Harvey’s and the Crown, to cheer the “wheelbarrow wizards” as they came over the Darling Bridge in the last stage of their marathon push from Mildura.
Shire President (Cr E. V. Whyte) greeted Radio 3MA announcer and pusher Roy Harwood, and his passenger, Frank Davison.
Deputy Shire President (Cr Dudley Marrows) solemnly took a swab of Pusher Harwood before awarding the two the procession certificate of merit.
The procession kept everyone tied to the pavements, to hotel verandahs, and even the roofs of stores for nearly two hours.
The last word in chic were the marching girls of Cal Lal.
They claimed their youngest was 40 years of age and their delightful hessian costumes made it possible for anyone to doubt their age, but their antics gave them the appearance of young fillies.
A fire, outside Harvey’s Hotel, was a deliberate affair when the ruffians manning the Menindee pub float decided to re-enact history.
However, their dark plans were averted when the Humdinger Fire Brigade extinguished the flames.
There was a special cheer for a model of paddle steamer Mary Ann, the first boat to open up the Wentworth River trade.
At the help was Captain Ern Randell, son of the man who captained Mary Ann on her first run.
