Jean Woodman arrives at the Country Women’s Association (CWA) kitchen at 7am during Tulip Time.
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She and other Bowral CWA members make and serve up to 600 scones daily, keeping residents and visitors sated throughout the two-week event but on the opening weekend, the ladies had two special guests.
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Governor of New South Wales David Hurley AC DSC (Ret'd) and wife Linda Hurley attended the opening weekend of Tulip Time 2018 after an invitation was extended by an old friend, Bowral CWA secretary Diana Innes.
“I had invited the governor and his wife to Tulip Time as my husband, John Innes and the governor had served in the army together 40 years ago,” Ms Innes said.
“Mrs Hurley and I were army wives at Kapooka training centre. This is the first time we’ve seen each other since,” she said.
Ms Hurley spent the morning catching up over a traditional Devonshire tea with Ms Innes and said though their lives had gone different directions since they last saw each other, the bond between army wives remained constant.
“There’s an understanding and a familiarity between army wives because only we know what we’ve been through,” Ms Hurley said.
“We had just moved down from Townsville to Wagga Wagga when we met Diana and John. The quarters we lived in were very bare. Old fibro houses with holes in the floor, but we didn’t care, we were young and in love,” she said.
"I must say that as soon as I saw Linda, all the memories came flooding back. She looks the same, much better than me!” Ms Innes said.
Towards the end of the visit, Ms Hurley returned to the CWA rooms to perform a song about the organisation and to remark upon the philanthropic efforts by the women who volunteer.
“These women are a force to be reckoned with. The work they do for their community and beyond is quite remarkable. They deserve your respect and admiration,” she said.
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Tulip Time is the main fundraising event for the Bowral CWA branch and has been since 1960 when the event first began.
However, this year 70 per cent of funds raised are to be donated to the branches in central and western NSW currently experiencing severe drought.
“We made the decision to support the families in central and western NSW. They’re doing it so tough out there,” Ms Innes said.
The CWA ladies serve Devonshire tea daily from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Homemade jams, preserves, crafts and more are available for purchase at the CWA rooms which can be entered only through Corbett Gardens during Tulip Time.
