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Tatong community celebrates 200 years of Hume and Hovell's legacy

The Tatong Heritage Group held an event to commemorate the bicentennial of Hume and Hovel's famous expedition with descendants of those at the 100-year anniversary. Photo by Contributed

It was 200 years ago that Hamilton Hume and William Hovell led an expedition to find new grazing land.

Their journey, and the route they took, is now part of Australian folklore.

On Wednesday, November 27, members of the Tatong Heritage Group held a special commemoration at the Hume and Hovell memorial at Cairn.

It had been unveiled 100 years earlier on the centenary of the expedition.

The heritage group member Joan Lewis helped arrange the event.

“We felt the 200th anniversary of Hume and Hovell’s expedition was a significant event to celebrate,” Ms Lewis said.

“We have a memorial to Hume and Hovell just 7km south of Tatong, and a photo from 100 years ago.”

On that day in 1924, much like the event this week, local people gathered at the structure to honour the pioneering spirit of those involved in the expedition.

“The little girl in that old photo was Molly Beard, and she unveiled the script on the memorial,” Ms Lewis said.

“We had her three daughters come back, from Adelaide, to unveil it again.”

Ms Lewis said on that day 100 years ago a young boy called Howard Lewis laid a laurel wreath.

“We had his son Wayne at the event who also laid a laurel wreath to re-enact what Howard did, she said.”

Ms Lewis said family members of those pictured 100 years ago were excited to take part when they were contacted.

“Wayne Lewis has always been in Tatong, and I’m also a Lewis, by marriage,” she said.

“So it meant a lot to the local community. We also had a descendant of Hamilton Hume’s sister there, and everyone had a lovely time.”

After the event, attendees went back to the Tatong Hall, where an exhibition focused on Hume and Hovell had been set up.