Preserving the Stories of Glenreagh
When Wilma arrived in Glenreagh in 1960 as a young schoolteacher, she could never have imagined she would spend the next six decades helping shape the community she had come to love.
Leanne | President, Glenreagh Timber Festival Committee
A Festival Built by Community
When thousands of visitors arrive in Glenreagh for the Timber Festival each year, they see woodchopping, live music, markets, steam engines, entertainment and community celebrations.
What they don’t always see is the incredible network of volunteers working behind the scenes to make it all happen.
For Leanne, President of the Glenreagh Timber Festival Committee, that’s what makes the festival truly special.
“It’s one of the only regional events in the area that’s still run by the community,” she says.
And that’s something worth celebrating.
More Than a Festival
Leanne has been involved with the Glenreagh Timber Festival Committee for several years and has served as President for the past four years. During that time, she’s seen firsthand the enormous effort required to deliver one of the region’s most loved community events.
But unlike many major events, the Glenreagh Timber Festival isn’t run by a commercial organisation. It’s run by local people.
In fact, the festival brings together more than a dozen community organisations, all working towards the same goal. The Rural Fire Service. The Pony Club. The Public School.
The Preschool. The Museum. The Hall Committee. The Progress Association. The Orara Valley Lions Club. Sherwood Cliffs And many more. Together, they form the backbone of the festival.
Giving Back to the Community
One of the things Leanne is most proud of is where the festival’s success ends up. Back in the community. Every year, the participating organisations contribute volunteers, time and resources to help run the event.
The funds generated are then shared back into those organisations, helping support projects that benefit local residents. Over the years, festival funding has helped community groups purchase equipment, improve facilities, undertake infrastructure projects and invest in programs that support local families.
“It’s amazing to know that money goes back into the community,” Leanne says.
For some groups, the Timber Festival provides one of their most important fundraising opportunities of the year.
And because those organisations support everything from education and sport to community services and emergency response, the benefits are felt throughout Glenreagh.
The Power of Connection
One theme has emerged through every Timber Tales story community and Leanne agrees. For her, the festival is about more than timber heritage. It’s about people. Families bringing relatives and friends to visit Glenreagh. Former residents returning to reconnect.
Visitors discovering the village for the first time. And local organization’s working together to achieve something extraordinary. “I love being part of the Glenreagh community,” she says. The Timber Festival creates opportunities for people to come together, share stories and celebrate what makes the village unique.
Supporting Local Business
The impact of the festival extends well beyond the festival grounds. Visitors stay in local accommodation. They visit the bakery. They stop at the pub. They support local businesses and producers. Many stay for several days, exploring the wider region while making Glenreagh their base.
For local businesses, festival weekend can be one of the busiest times of the year and for Leanne, that’s another reason the event matters. The festival doesn’t just benefit community groups. It supports the broader local economy.
Growing for the Future
Like any successful event, the Glenreagh Timber Festival continues to evolve.
Over recent years, improvements to parking, visitor access and event layout have helped enhance the experience for attendees.
Support from Clarence Valley Council, Destination NSW and valued sponsors has also played an important role in helping the festival continue to grow.
These partnerships help provide the infrastructure and resources needed to deliver a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.
And they ensure the festival can continue attracting visitors from across New South Wales and beyond.
Why It Matters
Ask Leanne about her favourite part of the festival, and her answer isn’t a particular attraction.
It’s the people.
Watching volunteers work together.
Seeing the pride on their faces.
And witnessing the community come together to welcome visitors to Glenreagh.
“I just love seeing the community come together,” she says.
Because at its heart, the Glenreagh Timber Festival isn’t just a celebration of timber heritage.
It’s a celebration of community.
The volunteers.
The organisations.
The businesses.
The families.
And the people who continue to make Glenreagh such a special place.
As the festival approaches its twentieth year, Leanne believes that community spirit remains its greatest strength.
And if the story of the Glenreagh Timber Festival proves anything, it’s that when a community works together, remarkable things can happen.
Read More Tales
Keeping Old Trades Alive
For Will Mackie, the Glenreagh Timber Festival isn’t just an event. It’s where passions become connections.
From Rock and Roll to Rural Life
Not many people swap the rock-and-roll industry in London for cattle paddocks in Glenreagh. But that’s exactly what Tristan did.
