We were rather lucky getting the railway – Lyn Woodhart

We’re very fortunate to have the mill. And then of course, the canola mill opened up over the railway line

Lyn Woodhart, Manildra mill

I was born in Manildra and I have lived here all my life except for 12 months after I attended school here and got the Intermediate, when I went down to Parramatta Metropolitan Business college and did a business course there for 12 months and stayed with my aunt down there.

I think the Manildra mill moved from Cargo in the beginning, because then the railway was going through Manildra. So, that was quite a big event for Manildra I guess. And, then of course the mill expanded more and more so there were plenty of jobs for everyone.

We had at that time, I think, three motor garages in town, including Dad’s, and of course the theatre was built in 1936. We had the annual show every year, in September. There were plenty of school concerts and plenty of balls, during the winter months, at least one a month.

We were rather lucky getting the railway, I think. It did help Manildra.

We’re very fortunate to have the mill. And then of course, the canola mill opened up over the railway line, opposite the hotel down there.

I suppose you could probably say the approach, coming from Orange, is not as pretty as it used to be because of the mill. I mean, it certainly is good for the town, but it sort of intrudes on the atmosphere of the town. It’s not a little country town anymore; it’s more like a manufacturing town.

It is different. But it’s all for the good of course. Well, everyone’s employed.

Interviewed by Marg Carroll