After being part of the Cobar community for the past 141 years, the Cobar Masons held their final function in Cobar on Satur-day night.
For many years the Freemasonry as an or-ganisation world-wide was shrouded in secrets and mystery but a few years ago, all that start-ed to change and Freemasons began to wel-come the public to open days to find out more about their organisation.
In November 2016, the Cobar Lodge No 97 opened its doors to the public (as did other Lodges all over NSW and the ACT) and visi-tors were given tours and information about one of the world’s oldest fraternal organisa-tions.
The move was in an effort to recruit new members to clubs everywhere as many years of keeping secret what Freemasonry was all about and what goes on at Lodge meetings, had ultimately hurt the organisation.
Freemasons in Cobar held their first meeting in the Cobar Courthouse on June 21, 1881 and some of Cobar’s most prominent men (such as Pierce Goold, who built the Great Western Hotel and the Rev Stanley Drummond, Royal Far West founder) were among their members.
The Masons moved into their current Lodge rooms, the historic Band Hall in Bourke Street, in 1972.
Up until recently members have been meet-ing on a monthly basis and now, Cobar Lodge Secretary, Dr Charlie Thompson said with a slowly dwindling membership and ever in-creasing fixed costs of the meeting hall, the Lodge was becoming less financially viable.
He said unfortunately the hard decision had to be made to Surrender the Charter and bring 141 years of Freemasonry in Cobar to an end.
In addition to their meetings (which offer members opportunities for self-development and community service), members have been selling raffle tickets for a number of years.
The proceeds have been donated to various local projects and organisations, and in recent years have supported the Services Club (with the construction of the RSL history boards), the Lilliane Brady Village, Cobar Girl Guides, Rural Outback Animal Rescue (ROAR) and from time to time, their donations have also helped out local families in need.
The Lodge Hall will be handed back to the Grand Lodge and will more than likely be sold. The Lodge’s history will be preserved with photos and documents donated to the Cobar Museum and the Museum of Freema-sonry in Sydney.
