General News
30 May, 2025
CWA conference at Wagga a success
The Country Women’s Association of NSW’s 103rd annual general meeting was held at Wagga Wagga recently.
By Hilda Newstead
An ecumenical service was held at The Range Function Centre on May 18, conducted by Father Paddy Sykes from St Joseph’s Catholic Parish.
Venerable Kim Hoey from St John’s Anglican Parish and Henschke Primary School delivered the processional hymn ‘Here I am Lord’.
Mrs Joy Beams, state president of the CWA, also delivered a reading in a lovely service.
The next day (May 19) the conference was officially opened.
The theme for 2025 was: From Isolation to Innovation - Threads That Bind.
Aunty Chery Penrith (OAM) delivered the Welcome to Country, while Cr Dallas Tout, mayor of Wagga Wagga City Council, delivered a moving welcome, thanking the CWA of NSW for all their good work.
Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr MP, also delivered an official opening, the Riverina Central Choir performed and other speakers included Tara Moriarty, the minister for agriculture, regional and western NSW. Chris Minns (NSW premier) and Margaret Beazley (governor of NSW) also passed on their appreciation of the CWA of NSW via video.
The keynote speaker was Sarah Wheeler from ‘A Daughter’s Way - The Outback Long Ride’. As Ms Wheeler’s website states: “Young rural woman Sarah Wheeler is determined to turn the double-tragedy and loss of both her parents into motivation and inspiration – embarking on an epic nine – month horseback ride, known as The Outback Long Ride, to raise awareness and funds for upper GI (gastrointestinal) cancers.” It was an amazing brave presentation, outlining the loss of her parents and moving “From Grief to Action”.
Ms Wheeler is a 27-year-old young lady raised on a 11,000 acre farm at Rowena.
She endured a nine-month horseback journey across Australia to raise funds and awareness of gastrointestinal cancer a rare form of cancer that killed her mother in just five months from diagnosis .
The mammoth journey she has completed solo-trekking 5500 kilometres of desert and bushland on horseback raising thousands of dollars.
There were many lonely days in the saddle.
Ms Wheeler’s words were: “Farmers are such resilient and generous people”.
She shared many happy times with the people in the Outback
Ms Wheeler was 12-years-old and a new student at boarding school when she received a call to say her beloved father had passed away from an enlarged heart.
Ms Wheeler, her mother, and her three sisters were devastated. Ms Wheeler’s mother Terri was alone with four daughters. The family also endured five-to-six years of drought.
In 2020 there was a break in the weather. Mother and two daughters sowed many acres of crop over three days. The tractor never stopped.
The in February 2022 the girls lost their mother to cancer, aged just 56-years-old. The loss of both her parents was just so overwhelming for Ms Wheeler and her siblings.
After her completed presentation, the CWA of NSW donated $2000 for cancer research and Ms Wheeler received a standing ovation.
Isabella Suttie, a singer, sang the most amazing couple of songs, including ‘Ave Maria’. She is a very talented young lady, Isabella plays many musical instruments. The state president, Mrs Beames’ address followed with the official party led out by piper Roger Buck.
After lunch, it was down to business with more than 45 motions on the table to deal with. During the conference many motions passed successfully.
The show catering address outlined that 40,670 scones were cooked and pies/fish and chips, sandwiches, gluten-free pies and lots of ANZAC biscuits were prepared.
It was revealed that 1180 jars of jams/pickles were sold, two-and-half tonnes of scone mix were prepared and 295 cakes and biscuits were prepared with a volunteer-base of 320 people, including 21 men. What an amazing achievement.
The report revealed there was also an exceptional amount of handicraft. A total of 650 items were on display, plus 29 pincushion boxes where each shoebox had four pincushions. The first prize winner for the four pincushions in a shoe box was Hornsby Branch, Northumberland Group. Macquarie Group/Illawarra Group were equal second with 709 points. On the cultural scene, there was a record number of art entries, plus 90 junior short stories.
Tanya Jolly, from the NSW Riverina region, was also elected the new president of CWA of NSW at Wagga.
Tanya is a member of the Barellan CWA of NSW branch and has been an association member for 28 years. She’s held a range of executive positions, and has also held numerous executive roles at the group and state level. She said she was honoured to take on the role of CWA of NSW president and was committed to working hard for the association’s 8000 members.
Outgoing president Joy Beames said it had been an honour to lead the association and she thanked members for their support during her term. In summary, it was a wonderful, successful, conference at Wagga Wagga. The 2026 conference will be at Forster.
