THE LEGACY CENTENARY TORCH RELAY SET TO LIGHT UP NEW SOUTH WALES

Iconic commemoration travels through New South Wales from 23rd June to Wednesday 9th August

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023, presented by Defence Health, officially reaches New South Wales on 23rd June as part of its Australian journey to commemorate Legacy’s Centenary.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023, presented by Defence Health began its journey in Pozières France on 23 April, with an official Opening Ceremony, then travelled to Menin Gate, Belgium and onto London before arriving in Australia where it is undertaking a six-month journey visiting all Legacy Club locations around the country, before culminating in Melbourne.

The first New South Wales relays will be in the Far North Coast towns of Casino, Lismore and Ballina on Friday 23rd June at 9:00am. The flame will travel over 150km throughout the state, with further relays in Grafton, Inverell, CoffsHarbour, Armidale, Tamworth, Port Macquarie, Taree, Forster, Maitland, Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Penrith,

Wollongong, Goulburn, Orange, Forbes, Cowra, Wagga Wagga, Albury and Queanbeyan.

Featuring 500 torch bearers in total including Legacy beneficiaries, Legatees and Defence Personnel, torch bearers of note include Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, Former Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove, former Olympian Jana Pittman, Victoria Cross recipient Mark Donaldson and Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Thistlewaite.

The Legacy Centenary

Sydney Community Day on 23 July brought to you by Lockheed Martin at Bradfield Park, North Sydney is an opportunity to connect members of the public and those associated with Defence to Legacy. The military and wider community are all invited to this free family fun day with live entertainment, market stalls, activations to celebrate the relay and commemorate Legacy’s Centenary and its 100 years of supporting veteran’s families.

During the Centenary tour, the torch will travel 50,000 kilometres, with 100 stops over 75 days, and be carried by over 1300 Torch Bearers, all with a personal connection to Legacy Australia.

Eric Easterbrook OAM, Chairman of Legacy Australia, says “The torch relay is a fitting commemoration of a century ofservice. Over the decades, Legacy has had a significant impact on many spouses, partners and children of veterans in the state of New South Wales.

From Coffs Harbour to Wollongong and everywhere in between, we hope this relay will raise awareness of the important work Legacy does across the state in supporting our veterans’ families.”

Legacy Australia has been supporting Veteran’s families since 1923 and was founded on a Promise made from one digger to another.

Today, Legacy supports over 40,000 partners and children of veterans’ who put their health and lives on the line for our country.

To date torch bearers have raised over $180,000 for Legacy. Donations allow Legacy to keep the promise to veterans’ families. To donate visit https:// legacy.com.au/donate.

They wanted to start a new life full of hope

Title: Paradiso: A Novel

Author: Steve Capelin

Publisher: AndAlso

Books

Price: $30.00

By Samantha Elley

If you have lived in the Northern Rivers long enough, you will have heard of the story of the Italians who migrated to Australia via the dodgy scheme by the French entrepreneur, the Marquis de Rey, in the 1880s.

Long story short, they settled in the New Italy area, hence the name, and started a new life.

Steve Capelin has written the long story in a captivating novel.

As a descendant of one of the families of Italian refugees, he has provided an insight into the depravations experienced by the 300+ peasants who boarded