Dick Smith was due to unveil the plaque at a ceremony on Saturday, but cloud prevented his helicopter from passing the Blue Mountains. 

Instead, the organisers pulled together as they had done during the museum’s 50-year history - aviator Max Hazelton joined Millthorpe and District Historical society president Peter Whiley to unveil the plaque while Mr Smith was present over the phone and apologised for not being able to make it.

“As Max would know as the only one to try and fly over the mountains in cloud and landed in a tree, I didn’t want to risk it,” he said.

“I would love to congratulate the society - in a country town, everyone puts in.”

Millthorpe’s Stuart Russ also added a Smith-like presence due to his striking resemblance to the entrepreneur.

But the day belonged to the late Mr Pascoe and his family.

His sister-in-law, Judy, spoke about his book, The Pascoes: A Family Saga, and the effort his family had gone to to have it published after his death in 2012.

“We’re happy to make his dream a reality,” she said.

Mrs Pascoe said she was impressed with the Trevor Pascoe Pavilion, which now houses more than 30 inventions that changed the face of agriculture in the region.

“I think he would have been honoured and delighted,” she said.

Mr Whiley said it was appropriate to honour Mr Pascoe because he had been president for 22 years and overseen much of the museum’s development.

The latest injection of more than $300,000 from a mix of state government grants, entry fees and donations covered the cost of the pavilion and reviving a second building, as well as concrete paths throughout the complex.

“We’ve been working for the last 18 months and I think we deserve a spell,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s fantastic, it’s exceeded all expectations.”

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au