The branch marked the occasion with a luncheon at the Malua Bay Bowling Club, attended by CWA state president Tanya Cameron, Bega MP Andrew Constance, Eurobodalla mayor Lindsay Brown and Councillors Danielle Brice and Liz Innes, and past and present members and their families.

Rita Davis performed the Welcome to Country while Col Davis gave two stirring song performances.

In her address to the crowd, current Batemans Bay CWA president Maureen Kinross spoke of how much things had changed since the beginnings of the group back in 1934.

“To form the CWA in Batemans Bay, the Far South Coast group president travelled from Bega over bad unsealed roads and she had to stay two days because there was no transport for her to get home,” Mrs Kinross said.

“The foundation committee consisted of Florence Perry president, Annie Fenning secretary and Elizabeth Thompson, treasurer. It’s wonderful to have some of all of their families here today.

“The branch flourished because of the respected status of these women in the town.”

Mrs Perry and Mrs Fenning’s husbands owed the sawmills that employed about 75 per cent of the population of men in Batemans Bay. Mrs Thomson owned the only general store and had the first hospital built with her own money.

“We’ve come a long way from Fennings’ kitchen to our beautiful new hall,” Mrs Kinross said.

“We must move now forward with faith in our future and accept the changes that the Association is undergoing.

“Some of our older members are finding change difficult - this can be overcome by working, as we have in the past, together to promote the causes we believe in.”