Bathurst Historical Society president Alan McRae thinks it is a shame that a public holiday will not be gazetted to celebrate Bathurst’s bicentenary next year.
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Bathurst Regional Council has decided not to apply for a public holiday for celebrations on May 7 2015, which marks 200 years since Governor Lachlan Macquarie proclaimed Bathurst as Australia’s first inland settlement.
Instead council will apply to the Industrial Relations Commission for a Local Event Day, which would give employers the chance to stay open without being penalised in any way.
Mr McRae said he understood why council had decided against a public holiday, but thought it was a shame.
“I think council has its hands tied and I have to agree with the path they have taken,” he said.
“Being a former business man, I agree that a Local Event Day is the way to go. Ideally though, I’d like a public holiday.”
Mr McRae noted that throughout history public holidays had been held in Bathurst for Proclamation Day, the Royal Bathurst Show, royals visits and other significant occasions.
“People even got a day off the time the English cricket team came to Bathurst in the late 1800s.”
Mr McRae said for the 150th anniversary celebrations in 1965, a public holiday had been declared and a massive procession was held to mark the occasion.
“Businesses were closed for the day, but even before that businesses allowed people off work to practise for the event.”
Mr McRae said it was important for the public to be able to go to the celebrations on May 7 with their family.
“So grandma can tell the grandkids how things happened and people can remember history and their family’s past. If people have to go to work that is not going to happen.”
However, Mr McRae said times had changed and people expected shops and businesses to be open every day of the week.
He said many businesses would not want to close their doors for the day, especially larger retailers that weren’t operated by locals.
He also noted that making a public holiday would not ensure that the community flocked to celebrations.
“I think the tendency would be for most people just to take the day off and have a sleep in,” he said.
Mr McRae said that if there was no public holiday, he hoped schools would organise to take students to the celebrations.
Councillor Monica Morse agreed.
“I really hope people take on board the Local Event Day and that businesses close for some of the day. We want as many people as possible to come along,” she added.
Cr Morse said while it was important for the community to take the time to celebrate the milestone, a public holiday would hurt business.
She added that if people were unable to attend celebrations on May 7, there would be plenty of other bicentenary activities happening throughout the first two weeks of May.
