April 11, 2023
A good crowd turned out at Nanango’s Lee Park racecourse on Easter Saturday to enjoy the racing, and wish local identities Barry and Mary Green a happy Golden Wedding anniversary.
Barry is a former South Burnett and Nanango Shire councillor, as well as being a Committee member of the Nanango Race Club for decades.
His wife, Mary, formerly worked for council and is a volunteer in many local groups, including the Nanango History Room.
Their son, Andrew, is the current president of the Nanango Race Club.
The Easter flavour of the meeting was acknowledged by many of the race crowd, with Easter bonnets aplenty.
Winners of the Fashions of the Field competition were presented with Nanango 175th Anniversary souvenirs and bottles of Moffatdale Ridge wine.
Out on the track, the racing was close although the starts of both Race 2 and Race 3 were pushed back due to difficulties behind the starting barriers.
Jockey Nicole Vuille rode two winners and a second, while Landan Sykes brought home a third and two seconds.
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The race meeting was officially part of Nanango town’s 175th celebrations, so honouring Barry and Mary Green in Race 1 seemed very fitting.
The Green family first became associated with Nanango when John Green stopped at Goodes Inn to get supplies on a trip to the former Wide Bay Village in 1851.
Goodes Inn had only been established three years earlier, and land around Nanango wasn’t put up for sale until the Queensland Selection Act was enacted more than 30 years later. But John Green’s sons were quick to act on the announcement, when it came.
In 1899 James Green, his wife Ann (Sawtell) and their five young children left the Illawarra district, travelled to Nanango and took up a selection at Barkers Creek.
His brother Lewis followed a few years later, marrying Agnes (Logan) and eventually settling at ‘Omega’ in 1908.
Their remaining brother George arrived and settled at South Nanango in 1914.
Members of the Green family went on to serve on both the former Nanango Shire Council and the South Burnett Regional Council for a combined total of almost a century.
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(Photo: John Dalton)
Race Results
Race 1 – Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Barry & Mary Green Benchmark 55 Handicap (800m)
1. The Waiting Man (3) – Nicole Vuille
2. Craiglea Laki (5) – Leeanne McCoy
3. Asherla (4) – Andrew Cameron
Time: 0:45.69
Race 2 – Happy 87th Birthday Peter Sexton QTIS Maiden Plate (1000m)
1. Bridgeman Downs (1) – Chris Meehan
2. Spressi (10) – Nicole Vuille
3. Move Beyond (14) – Landan Sykes
Time: 0:59.20
Race 3 – Nanango Country Veterinary Services Benchmark 45 Handicap (1000m)
1. Beeokay (3) – Nicole Vuille
2. The Angels Kiss (6) – Shania Willis
3. Viceman (1) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 0:58.32
Race 4 – Ken Mills Toyota Benchmark 60 Handicap (1200m)
1. Oakfield Comanche (4) – Ian French
2. Whistlin’ Arrow (3) – Landan Sykes
3. Mofeed Warrior (5) – Todd Banks
Time: 1:10.00
Race 5 – Heritage Bank Nanango Benchmark 50 Handicap (1600m)
1. Craiglea Bandit (1) – Sophie Blunt
2. Evrynow’n’then (6) – Landan Sykes
3. Boult (2) – Shania Willis
Time: 1:08.98
