LOWAN Homestead owners Gary and Wendy Kilsby were awarded Wattle Range Council’s community event of the year after raising a staggering $22,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The pair accepted their award at the Sorby Adams award presentations, held at the Kalangadoo Institute on Australia Day.
Around 40 people, including Deputy Mayor Glenn Brown and ward councillors Dale Price and Deb Agnew, were in attendance.
The barbecue fired up at 8am with the Kalangadoo Lions Club ensuring attendees were well fed with sausages, bacon, eggs and toast.
Following breakfast, Lions secretary Greg Moore led the flag raising ceremony, the Australian affirmation and singing the national anthem.
Ward councillor Dale Price told the crowd of the event, held “at the oldest two-storey house in South Australia south of the River Murray”, which attracted more than 2500 people, including former Lord Mayor of Adelaide Martin Haese.
In receiving council’s top award, a humble Mr Kilsby used his speech to thank all the contributors, volunteers and the wider community.
He highlighted the efforts of daughter Jane Westerman, saying “she deserves all the praise”.
“It is certainly an honour to receive this award and while I was a great part of it, it really belongs to the community,” he said.
“Without volunteers, it would not have been as successful as it was.”
Last year, the Victorian-period mansion opened its doors to the public for the first time to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
There was a range of activities, food vendors, displays and music on the picturesque English-style lawns.
Guided house tours ran regularly on both days and were booked out.
A historic display including old photographs of Lowan Homestread and various antiques found during the restoration were on show.
Hundreds of photographs and railway memorabilia from the Kalangadoo Railway Station Museum were displayed by curator Peter Savage in the original stables.
Vintage Dodge Brothers vehicles were shown by Millicent’s Gil Purdie, Mount Burr’s Danny McGuinness and Kalangadoo’s Nick Hunt.
Deputy Mayor Brown said he attended celebratations and congratulated the Kilsbys.
“To open your home to all of those people must have been daunting, but you did a wonderful job,” Cr Brown said.
“To raise $22,000 for the RFDS is amazing.”
Kalangadoo resident Robbie Stewart was presented council’s citizen of the year award for his volunteer efforts.
Cr Price told the crowd of Mr Stewart’s “tireless volunteer work” including the Country Fire Service, SA Coast Guard and the Australians Citizens Radio Emergency Monitor.
He highlighted Mr Stewart’s fundraising efforts in the Swagtember campaign, which provides support to the homeless.
In a short speech, Mr Stewart thanked council for hosting the ceremony and the Kalangadoo Lions Club for catering the award breakfast.
