The Millard Centre in Young was the location of this year's family picnic day, held on Saturday 28 March 2009. Family members gathered for morning tea at 10:00 am and the formal meeting commenced at 11:30 am.

Numbers were down on last year as many members were ill or recovering from illness. During the meeting a descendant of George Butt produced original letters from our Irish ancestors, which attracted interest from attendees.

At the conclusion of the meeting we left for Iandra Castle at Greenethorpe, a drive of about 20 minutes north of Young. A picnic lunch was consumed in the grounds of Iandra, followed by a self-guided tour of the Castle.⁶

Iandra:
The original owner, member of parliament and share-farming pioneer George Henry Greene, after whom the village of Greenethorpe was named, purchased the 13,000 Ha property in 1878. Iandra is the second homestead built on the property. The first home, named Mt Oriel, was built in 1880 from bricks fired on the property. In 1908 Greene converted the original home to the present two-storey building on the same foundations. It was said to have cost £63,000 which was a huge sum at that time.

Iandra had all the modern luxuries well before its time. Electricity was supplied by a steam-driven generator, hot and cold running water was available, with servant call bells installed in every room.

Mr Greene was a prominent breeder of Shire horses, experimented with superphosphate and was the first farmer to demonstrate the reaper binder, and in 1910 the Massey Harris reaper, which is now known as a header. He used his influence to get a rail line built to connect Greenethorpe to the neighbouring town of Koorawatha.

Mr Greene died in 1911 and he and his family are buried at St Saviour's Anglican Church at Iandra.⁸

After leaving the Castle we returned to Young for afternoon tea, followed by a barbecue later that evening at nearby Carrington Park.

Next year's gathering is scheduled to meet on Saturday 20 March 2010 in Wagga Wagga. Full details will be circulated prior to the event.

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