Services Club showcases unique piece of local history

Services Club secretary/manager Linda Carter and board member Chris Boucher with Peter Hausler and Tony Punzet from the Copper City Men’s Shed with the new poppy display made from 100 year old local timber at the club.

A 100 year old piece of wood salvaged from the Fort Bourke Mine headframe has been used to create a unique display at the Cobar Services Club.

The club’s secretary/manager Linda Carter took delivery last week of the stand which was made by members of the Copper City Men’s Shed.

Linda said she had been looking for a way to permanently display a supply of commemorative artificial poppies.

The poppies are part of the Poppy Park project which individually remember Australian servicemen and women who have given their lives during war. Sales of the poppies are distributed to Legacy to support the dependents of deceased Australian service men and women.

“I spoke to the club board about my idea for a display and Chris Boucher said he had just the lump of wood that would do the job.

“I then approached the Men’s Shed and asked them if they could make me something and they said they could,” Linda said.

The piece of wood used to construct the stand is estimated to be more than 100 years old.

Chris said he’d had it in his back shed for about 14 years after acquiring it when he was doing some demolition work for a local contractor.

He said when they were pulling down the Fort Bourke, Chesney and Occidental Mine headframes he decided to salvage the wood from the Fort Bourke headframe rather than see it being thrown out at the rubbish tip.