Centenary Celebration
of Upper Colo Church

A huge crowd of people gathered at the Upper Colo Anglican Church at 10.30 am on 2nd April 2006 to celebrate the Centenary of this historic church. On this beautiful sunny morning, the newly restored church building looked charming beside two old horse-drawn sulkies brought to the church for the event.

Reverend Geoff Bates led the commemorative service for 203 Colo descendants, residents and friends who filled the tiny church and spilled out onto a seating area beside the church. Pioneer family representative, Brian (Mate) Gosper, gave a lively description of the history of the church. After the service, participants caught up with past and present friends and gathered for a commemorative photograph outside the church.

Participants strolled around the old Upper Colo graveyard and some enjoyed a tour of the historic Gosper House nearby. Then they drove down to Arthur Crichton's excellent Somerset Camp facility at Colo for lunch.

Historic photographs were on display in Somerset Cottage opposite the camp. One old photograph showed the Upper Colo church on the Comleroy Road dirt track, along which drovers used to drive their cattle on the way to Kurrajong from Singleton. Cavanough's Accommodation House, where the drovers used to stay, could be seen in the background.

This wonderful anniversary event, organised by Wendy Ward and Wanda Deacon, was a fitting celebration of 100 years of church life in Upper Colo and a welcome opportunity for visitors to explore the fascinating history of this area.