Do you know about the unique Katoomba Festival of Easter 1963? For ten lively days, we celebrated one of Australia’s most important industries with fashion, music, dancing, competitions and, of course, a mascot sheep called Biddy.
A Blue Mountains History of Wool
The Woolfiesta was part of a wider promotional campaign supported by the Australian Wool Bureau. At a time when Australia was famously said to be “riding on the sheep’s back”, wool was one of the nation’s great industries. Communities around Australia were encouraged to hold festivals and competitions celebrating the versatility of Australian wool. In Katoomba, the idea was embraced with enthusiasm and the sense of fun.
On Saturday, 6 April 1963, the Woolfiesta Grand Opening included a parade down Katoomba Street, including the Blue Mountains City Band and the Katoomba Marching Girls. The parade ended at the Council Chambers where the Mayor, Alderman Keith Bates, introduced 18-year-old Laraine Morris, dressed as Miss Bo Peep, accompanied by her sheep Biddy!
Fashion was naturally at the heart of a celebration of wool. The festival included a Fashion Parade and Variety Show at the Gardiners Inn, in Blackheath, showing off the latest colours with wool, called “The Wild Colonial Line”.
Monday was a Mannequin Parade at the Trocadero Theatre in Katoomba, where Little Bo Peep made a quick appearance, before being dramatically “kidnapped” by none other than Ned Kelly, adding a touch of theatrical Australian humour to the proceedings.
On Tuesday, the Ladies Auxiliary sponsored the Parent and Pupil “Woolshed Hop” dance at Katoomba Primary School Hall. Children and parents joined in the celebrations, before the newly released Little Bo Peep awarded Judy and Robert, the best in the “Twist Competition”. It was a wonderful example of the way community festivals could bring schools, families and local organisations together.
Wednesday saw Mrs Margaret Smith take out the Speed Knitting Competition. After all the excitement of the previous days, Thursday provided a welcome day of rest.
On Good Friday, 12 April, the community gathered at Katoomba Falls Reserve for a community sing-along, providing a quieter opportunity for locals and visitors to come together during the Easter celebrations.
Easter Sunday is a family day, though officially the last day of the festival. Due to licencing laws, no parties could occur, this was sidestepped by a “Woolfiesta Midnight Dance” that began at 12.01am on the Monday morning. The Wentworth Cabaret, at Homesdale Guesthouse (now the YHA) decorated with balloons and streamers, hosted 300 dancers, with 25 couples competing in the “Twist Competition”, by all accounts the atmosphere was electric.
For ten memorable days over Easter 1963, Katoomba became a town where wool was fashionable, the Twist was king, Ned Kelly kidnapped Little Bo-Peep – and a sheep named Biddy was presented to the Mayor.
Now that is certainly a Blue Mountains story worth remembering.