SCREEN TIME: Cr Reg Kidd and Rotary Club of Orange members John Hogan and David Williams are looking forward to an ABC documentary following the progress of the Emmaville Cottage relocation. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 0222sgcottage2
ORANGE will be showcased to a national and maybe even international TV audience when a documentary following the relocation of Emmaville Cottage is screened on the ABC.
The historic cottage, thought to be the birthplace of Banjo Paterson, is currently located at the Waratah sportsground but a group of keen history buffs in the Narrambla Homestead Restoration Project have been plotting its restoration and relocation to a site the Adventure Playground for more than a year.
The key driver of the project Rotary Club of Orange president Mick Doyle said the group was excited about the pending TV series and said it will be a good opportunity to tie-in with planned celebrations to mark Paterson’s 150th birthday in February next year.
The group had hoped to begin moving the cottage this month but Mr Doyle said they would wait to work-in with the production team’s schedule.
“It is exciting, particularly for history and Orange tourism if it all goes as indicated,” he said.
“They’ll want to film it from go to woe. The cottage has ben cleaned out ... and we’re ready to demolish the additions.
“When we get the dates from the ABC we’ll jack it up.”
Cr Reg Kidd said he found out about the TV program, based an adaption of a British series following the restoration of historic buildings, from ABC radio.
He took the producers on a tour of the sites and, along with Mr Doyle, was involved in a nerve-racking interview to convince the group to film in Orange for a one-hour documentary.
“The whole community is involved in it,” Cr Kidd said.
“They’ll be interviewing people from Rotary, the men’s shed, the schools and the Friends of the Botanic Gardens.
“It will boost Orange as a destination for tourism and boost the knowledge of people that AB Paterson was born here.”
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