• Brooke Hanson

OLYMPIC medallist and TV personality Brooke Hanson and eminent ABC current affairs presenter and journalist, Barrie Cassidy, will take centre stage at Australia Day long weekend celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in Chiltern.

Nearly a year in the planning, the Chiltern Tourism Association, which has worked closely with local schools and a variety of community groups, has revealed full details of the community’s sensational ‘gold themed’ sesquicentenary program.

Events include a pool party at Chiltern swimming pool with Brooke Hanson as well as a free public concert at Chiltern Tourist Park co-hosted by the champion swimmer with former Chiltern boy, Barrie Cassidy.

The free pool party, from 2-5pm on Sunday, January 25 promises to be a highlight of the weekend’s events.

Locals and visitors will have the chance to take part in swimming clinics, ‘gold medal races’ and a host of other activities presented by Brooke Hanson, a member of the elite Australian swimming team for more than a decade whose many achievements include both silver and gold Olympic medals at the Athens games in 2004.

Her co-host at the evening concert in the park, Barrie Cassidy, was born and raised in Chiltern.

A member of the locally well-known McGann-Cassidy clan who settled in Chiltern soon after the town was first declared, he is now the co-host of ABC 2’s national weekday News Breakfast program and presenter of two national Sunday morning programs on ABC TV, Insiders and Offsiders.

After a cadetship at Albury’s Border Mail, Barrie Cassidy built a career as one of Australia’s most respected journalists, including as chief political correspondent for ABC TV News.

He also served as senior press secretary and political adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Other highlights of Chiltern’s 150th celebrations include:

• a commemorative photograph involving all residents of the Chiltern community at the town’s main intersection;

• a street party featuring displays, music and street performers;

• tours of Chiltern’s three National Trust-owned properties - the Federal Standard printing works, Dow’s Pharmacy and Lake View House; and

• evening screening of the Disney movie, To Ride a Wild Pony, filmed on location in Chiltern.

Full program available at Chiltern Visitor Information Centre or at www.chilternvic.com.