Nundle comes alive during the "Go For Gold Chinese Easter Festival" which celebrates the village’s rich gold mining history and the many Chinese who were drawn there to seek their fortune. The Easter festival is a “must do" experience and features:-
- panning for gold to find some genuine Nundle gold
- the world-class Chinese dance troupe
- a variety of Chinese and Australian cuisine
- Children’s entertainment (Chinese Puzzle Treasure Hunt, Magician, Gold Panning and Jumping Castle)
- large and varied range of market stalls
- a variety of live music, including traditional music played on ancient Chinese instruments
- traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances
- antique toy display
- world class Mineral & Gem Display
- visit Nundle’s many attractions, cafes, antique shops and local stores
Where is Nundle?
Nundle is 145 km from Muswellbrook (about 2 hours drive) along the New England Highway and Wallabadah-Nundle Road, or 67km south east of Tamworth – turn off the New England Highway at Nemingha and take a scenic drive via Chaffey Dam.
Chinese Dragon and Lions
The 2011 Festival will feature a 15 person Dragon and 2 two-person Lions performing their energetic and colourful dances. These dances are usually performed by martial artists who have the strength and skill to make the various moves and express the a range of moods of the dragon and the lions. The Sydney based Australian Yau Mun Chinese Martial Arts Association Inc. will be performing the dances at this years festival.
The 2011 Festival will feature a 15 person Dragon and 2 two-person Lions performing their energetic and colourful dances. These dances are usually performed by martial artists who have the strength and skill to make the various moves and express the a range of moods of the dragon and the lions. The Sydney based Australian Yau Mun Chinese Martial Arts Association Inc. will be performing the dances at this years festival.
Nundle’s Chinese Heritage
From the 1850’s to the 1880’s thousands of people came to what was then called the Peel River Diggings which incorporated Nundle, Happy Valley, Hanging Rock, and Bowling Alley Point. Among the rush of people were numerous Chinese; most looking for gold, plus a few came to set up stores and gardens to supply the diggers. Illness or accidents took the lives of many searching the hills, and the Bowling Alley Point and Nundle Cemeteries became their final resting-places while the majority left when gold petered out or new fields beckoned. Some stayed on and became a permanent part of Nundle and district history.
The Government Officials on the Gold Fields of the 1860’s to 1880’s were ‘Englishmen’ and had some difficulty with the Chinese language. The names of Chinese miners were simply written down as they sounded; the result was that what was recorded may not have born close resemblance to the actual names! The word ‘Ah’, a term of respect, was often prefixed to the Chinese names when they were recorded in the official documents of the day.
For further information about the "Nundle Go For Gold Festival 2011" contact the Event Manager, Roger Sydenham, Email: GoForGoldFestival@yahoo.com.au phone: (02) 6769 3665, Fax: (02) 6769 3665
No comments:
Post a Comment