The time has finally come for a Barrhead delegation to journey to the land down under.
About 15 people will be heading to Australia Feb. 5-13 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Barrhead’s twinning arrangement with the Town of Drouin, Victoria.
Reeve Bill Lee and wife Carol departed last week for the other side of the world. Barrhead &District Twinning Committee vice chair Steve Lyster, who will be spending one month in Australia, left for Drouin Monday with his wife Rita.
The rest of the delegation will be departing next week.
Lyster celebrated the twinning’s 15 year anniversary 10 years ago. However since then, he said activity between Barrhead and Drouin has died down quite a bit.
“We’ve always been a little bit more focused on the Tokoro twinning because we get students every year. It’s a much more active twinning,” said Lyster. “The Australia one kind of just tapered off a little bit.”
However, with 2014 being the 25th anniversary of the twinning, Lyster said the twinning committee felt it was a good time to bring the relationship to life again.
After getting in touch with old contacts about a year and a half ago, activity between Barrhead and Drouin bubbled up again.
“We sent a letter to a couple of contacts we still had over there and kind of got it rejuvenated,” said Lyster. “They thought the 25th anniversary was a great time.”
Now, Lyster is eager to return once again for another enriching experience.
“I’m looking forward to it. The first time there, got to meet a lot of people,” said Lyster. “Now going back, we can reacquaint with good friends whom we’ve stayed in touch with over the years.”
The committee will be taking paraphernalia such as buttons and pins, as well as t-shirts for Australia’s committee members. Everyone also has gifts for their hosts.
“There is a book on Alberta that was given to us and signed by Maureen Kubinec, and one of those Barrhead millenium coins,” said Lyster. “And other bits and pieces here and there to give out during our travels, not just to Drouin.”
In addition to souvineir-type items, the committee commissioned a stone inuksuk, mounted on wood and complete with a 25th anniversary plaque. This will be given to Baw Baw Shire, the county that oversees Drouin.
The committee’s first official event in Australia is a reception with the shire, at which point the inuksuk will be presented.
Lyster said for those going to Australia for the first time, the experience of traveling down under alone is enough for great excitement. Not to mention the friendly nature of the Drouin community.
“They’re going to have a blast, if it’s anything like last time,” said Lyster. “They’re great hosts over there. A lot of fun.”
Many on the committee are looking forward to the wine and cheese and poetry reading event that will be held in Drouin. On the itinerary sent to Barrhead, Lyster said there was a note under the poetry night plan reading, “I’m sure that our Canadian guests will hold up their high standards.”
Lyster is going prepared.
“I’ve got three or four poems I’m taking with me,” he laughed. “It’s really big down there. It’s a hoot and a half.”
Although Drouin is very much an arts community, said Lyster, there is still a lot of agriculture that will be of great interest to a rural community such as Barrhead.
“The folks we’re staying with have a fairly large dairy farm,” said Lyster. “I’m from a dairy background, so it was neat when I was there last time too.”
Many people question why Barrhead continues with the involvement of twinning activities, said Lyster, as some see it as a waste of time any money. However he said he thinks it’s great.
“I think it’s just a good cultural thing,” said Lyster. “ It’s nice to keep in touch. They enjoy it, we enjoy it, we have a good time.”
