What IS the latest news?
So much has happened since we last added to our ‘Latest News’, so before we get to the latest, let’s update on what has been happening since late last year. …
Our Spirit Market and Spirited lunch were a great success last December and everyone had lots of fun sampling the wonderful fare from our local distillers (stay tuned for news on this year’s Spirit Market coming soon). Fifteen stallholders joined us in the front garden, the army band came along and played some tunes and William McHenry held a very popular gin making workshop.
Our Spirited Lunch held in conjunction with the Market saw 20 guests enjoy a three course roving meal while being guided through the house and garden and learning about the history of Narryna and its collection. Chef, Scott Heffernan from Frank Restaurant, provided a stunning lunch and some of our distillers including: Spring Bay, Killara, Sullivan’s Cove and Charles Oates, provided spirits and cocktails to accompany the food. All of our guests left the site well fed and watered and extremely happy with the event.
Following the Christmas Spirit Market, Christmas was upon us very quickly and before we knew it we were in to what was to become a very strange year…2020!
We were busy with weddings throughout the holiday period and then got started on the installation of our next exhibition, Hidden Histories. This exhibition, featuring nine local artists, explores the hidden histories within Narryna. Focusing on the lives of women both free settlers and convicts, the works draw on the experiences of early colonial women, a time when women’s stories were rarely heard.
This wonderful exhibition was due to open on 4 April but as we all know the world changed dramatically in late March and Narryna was closed to the public. We worked hard to get the exhibition online as quickly as possible so that we could share these special works with the public. The exhibition is available to view on this website and contains both images of the works and recordings from the artists, you can view the exhibition here
Finally… to the ‘latest news’. Since our closure back in March, Narryna has been a hive of activity with staff, volunteers and contractors busy working on a range of projects. Outside the house some much needed conservation work has been taking place and the finishing touches being put on some of our ongoing projects including the split paling fence and the kitchen garden. Many of the windows have been removed, restored and painted, roof works are being done and electrical works completed. The house will look as good as it did 180 years ago once all is complete!
You can see some of our recent conservation projects on our Conservation page
In the house, volunteers have been busy adding to our fascinating blog with stories of convict women, ships, Narryna residents and more. To read these, visit our blog page here. Check the rest of the website too as we have added some gorgeous costumes and other collection items to our Collections page with more to come soon.
Volunteers have also been helping with updating our catalogue and researching some of the many stories that Narryna has to tell. Back outside again the garden is taking shape with the final section of our Kitchen Garden is now ready to be planted with some wonderful heritage fruits and vegetables.
The house will re-open for visitors from 1 September so we hope that you come and visit and see all of the wonderful changes that have taken place. Sometimes good things come from bad and despite 2020 being difficult we are excited about showing our visitors what we have been able to achieve.