Young Cherry Festival - 8 December 2025

On Monday 8 December Daryl and Gill Mouser (modern), Rick and Diane Wade (Stag), John
and Diane Armarego (Jaguar), and Chris and Carolyn Paisley-Dew (Stag), assembled at the
Dinosaur Museum for a run to Young to enjoy the Cherry Festival. Anthony and Susan
Ockwell (modern) joined the “Young-sters” Rally at Murrumbateman.

A leisurely drive to Boorowa (Barton Hwy, Hume Hwy and Lachlan Valley Way) saw us arrive
at Boorowa for morning tea/coffee at the Boorowa Bakery. We took advantage of the
weather to sit outside where an hour was cheerfully spent in conversation, before heading
off to Young via Murringo Road along which we took a minor detour to visit the Grove
Estate Winery.

Young was abuzz with activity as we proceeded to Wombat Heights Orchard. The owner was
very hospitable and offered us to pick cherries and make the most of the setting. A
unanimous decision based on increasing temperatures favoured an onward trip to a
roadside stall where packed cherries were on hand - Eastlake's Family Tree, Olympic Hwy,
Wombat. We were welcomed by the owners and shown an array of jams, honey, ice-creams
and, of course, cherries.

Next stop was Jackson’s Bakery and Café, Harden, for lunch. We settled in and made the
most of the setting, sitting over for lunch for more than two hours. The atmosphere among
the travellers was special, and showed great camaraderie with no-one anxious to move on.
As the doors were closing on the café, we felt it was time to re-start the engines and rein in
the horses for home.

It was a top day – a feeling that seemed to be shared by all.

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By Anthony Ockwell