The
South West Rail and Heritage Centre (SWRHC) is holding its annual
Act-Belong-Commit Traditional Trades Day on
Sunday,
April 22,
2018 from
10:00am to
2:00pm in Turner Street, Boyanup.
The
Act-Belong-Commit Traditional Trades Day brings together the trades, skills and practices which were essential to the growth of industry in the early years of this state and nationwide.
SWRHC believes that these traditional skills practised by tradespeople in years gone by that you rarely see today, still have an important role to play in today's modern world.
This promises to be a day of action and demonstrations, supplemented by displays and information about some of the old tools, equipment and machinery that helped the workers in days gone by.
Try your hand at the Fettler's Challenge
Visitors can have a go at some of the tasks carried out by fettlers (workers who maintained the railway tracks). Lifting heavy sledgehammers, drilling holes with an auger and driving a dog spike into a sleeper, are all part of the daily grind for the fettler.
The resident groups
The Boyanup Foundation Blacksmiths will be working at the Act-Belong-Commit Traditional Trades Day.
,
Preston River Old Machinery Group specialising in the restoration of vintage agricultural machinery,
Capel Men's Shed with their handmade wooden and steel items,
Rail Heritage WA and South West Model Railway Group, will all be in action demonstrating their skills and restoration techniques.
The visiting trades
The Western Australian Craft Bookbinders Guild members are always a popular attraction, demonstrating their ancient skill.
will also will host some visiting tradespeople who will demonstrate their skills. The
WA Guild of Bookbinders, plus
Robert Underhill (from the
International Guild of Knot Tyers will be demonstrating knot tying and rope splicing), also
Bunbury Woodturners, and the
Hand Tool Preservation Society of WA will display and demonstrate some of the tools used in earlier days. Do not miss the
alpaca felting stall, or the old-fashioned
treadle sewing machine in action.
The Bunbury Woodturners Group demonstrate their skills (Photo credit, Julian Sanders, Boyanup Post).
Robert Underhill, member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers will be demonstrating his skills on the day (Photo credit, Julian Sanders, Boyanup Post).
The
SWRHC will have displays of old tools and machines used in agriculture, some of which will be operating, a
model dairy will be on display as well as information about other traditional trades. Moreover, on display will be
kitchen and
laundry artefacts from early days plus 80-year-old
clockwork trains.
Unique Puppet show
Glen Perks from '
Top of the Stairs Puppets' will stage an old-fashioned marionette show (not just for children) at various intervals throughout the day. See Glen present original stories, while controlling his own unique, self-built puppets.
'Top of the Stairs Puppets' puppetmaster, Glen Perks will be performing several marionette shows during the day (Photo courtesy, 'Top of the Stairs Puppets').
Children can take part in
old-fashioned crafts such as
making models with pop sticks and matchsticks, paper chain dolls and
old-fashioned games such as horseshoe toss, quoits, knucklebones and giant noughts and crosses. Do not forget the popular '
parent powered' merry-go-round, made from recycled materials,
The Picnic Van awaits
Light refreshments will be available from the '
Picnic Van', a converted guard's van. Toasted sandwiches, cakes, ice creams, cold drinks, tea and coffee will be on show, plus the ever-popular
sausages will be a-sizzling.
Parking and toilets available
Toilet facilities are available, including a toilet suitable for people with a disability. There is plenty of parking, just follow the signs to find your convenient parking spot.
How to get there
The
South West Rail and Heritage Centre situated in Turner Street, Boyanup, an accessible day trip from Perth, and well worth the experience, is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm. For more information, please contact Norm Chapple on
[email protected] or call 0459 712 552. You may also find
this website and their
Facebook page helpful, and entry is by donation.
Do you have a traditional trade or skill to share?
SWRHC are
looking for people practising traditional trades and crafts such as whittling, leather crafts, handcrafts and crafts from earlier days to attend this day and demonstrate their crafts, with the option to sell their finished product. There is no cost for a stall, that's right,
FREE. Please contact Norm on 0459 712 552 or email
[email protected] for more information and application forms.
SWRHC thanks all their sponsors and supporters.
All photos are from the SWRHC collection unless otherwise noted. Artwork by John F.
