One family synonymous with Junee's history reunited over the weekend to remember their past, celebrate their present and forge a new future of memories.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While they may be known by a number of names now spread out across the wider region, the family began under the surname of Cummins as far back as the 1800s, according to family member Lynne Smith.
"It was my great-grandfather Patrick Cummins - everyone called him Paddy - and his brother Benjamin who first called Junee home," she said.
"They were from Carcoar near Cowra then moved to Junee."
Paddy, born in 1858, and Ben, born in 1862, were both dairy farmers in town.
"Patrick also put money up for the Athenium Theatre when it was first established, which is one of the reasons we are holding the reunion now," Ms Smith said.
The Junee Athenium Theatre this year celebrates its 90th anniversary.
With further ties to the town, Ms Smith also said her grandparents owned Symington's Hill as their family home in the 1920s.
"We are very lucky that the current owners are letting us come to the home to get some family photos taken there, which is fantastic," she said.
The official reunion started last week on Friday, October 11, with a meet and greet at the Junee Ex-Service Memorial Club to get old friends reacquainted.
On Saturday, family members had a service at the Junee cemetery where two of the family members' graves have recently been restored by Ms Smith's brother.
With about 50-60 people estimated to have attended, the reunion moved across to the Heritage Centre where family history was shared as well as information on the theatre.
"We had anywhere between four and six generations attending I think, it's hard to say really," Ms Smith said.
"Family came from all over the place though, as far as Perth and Queensland."
But not everyone has left the town. Brothers Bill, Michael and Justin Heffernan still call Junee home.
The main event of the reunion will took place on Saturday evening with more sharing of family history.
Ms Smith opened the event for everyone to attend, family or not, to delve into the town's rich past.
"We then continued it on to Sunday morning over at the Athenium Theatre to celebrate its anniversary too," she said.
With an English-Irish-Australian theme, the reunion not only facilitated reminiscing for the family but also took Junee on a walk down memory lane.
In other news: