Gold Rush not just a celebration, it's a tourist attraction
Letter: I think the parade should still happen in Mary Street and the community volunteers, businesses and community groups should come forward to produce it.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
HAVE we gone stark raving mad when the authorities allow home delivery of booze in a community climate of domestic violence and/or child abuse sexual or otherwise?
Is it true that children are not as valuable as adults who get court sentences that are an affront to society?
Why aren't we doing something about it.? Why aren't we complaining?
Instead we have the unfortunate handling of the Gold Rush Parade decision.
In earlier days our Gold Rush committee had to raise all the money ourselves and we did this mainly by selling raffles, cakes and silver circles. Our parades were great because it was an honour to be seen in them. Everyone put so much effort into them. The Gympie Times gave us great coverage.
Our committee efforts resulted in nine pipe bands from other towns marching in the parade and also giving a mass band presentation in the Memorial Park.
Brisbane ethnic dancers were brought up in buses we paid for. They put on displays. We hadn't realised racism existed until we found that the only group who would travel with another group was the Italians. We paid for a nationally recognised feature band for Nelson Reserve. We tried to give a different concept each year.
My late husband Ron Lawrence and I went to Brisbane each year to see the magnificent Warana Parade which had the rule that nothing could be seen of the vehicle - not even a wheel.
The Warana exhibits costs went into the thousands and were housed in sheds at Ipswich between parades We managed to get two to come to a couple of Gympie parades and it was like royalty coming to town.
The ambulance service and the Gympie hospital staff created something new each year and the local police service and fire brigade made it look more official and interesting. It was the event of the year.
The parade was never meant to be an advertising gimmick for car dealers and other vested interest. We needed them to tizzy up the vehicles too.
Times changed and quite a few towns stopped having a parade. Mainly because people said they were too busy to help. Gympie was lucky we had people like Tom Madill, Brett Green, David Crossley and myself committed to giving a fine parade full of community achievements.
I don't mean to sound as if I think we were better in those days but councils stuck to council business and the community was expected to pull its volunteer weight with everything that happened. Technology hadn't taken over our life so we had more time to do things.
Gold Rush has gone from being a local celebration of Gympie to being feted as part of our tourist industry. So that is why we are paying more rates/taxes to have what people of today think they need. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
I think the parade should still happen in Mary Street and the community volunteers, businesses and community groups should come forward to produce it.
The reward is seeing the happy faces and anticipation of the little kids.
JULIA LAWRENCE O.A.M,
GYMPIE
