Mostly known as the home of Australia’s largest flour mill, Manildra is branching out with their first-ever market day being held on the King’s Birthday weekend.

The free Monday, June 8, event that everyone in the region is invited to will also help launch an upgraded recreational area on Loftus Street, named Montana Park after a beloved local lass who died more than decade ago on her way home from school.

The day-long Montana Park Manildra Markets is a great way to open new facilities at the reserve, while also starting a tradition the Manildra and District Improvement Association hopes to continue over the years ahead, Secretary and event organiser Daneille Duffy revealed.

“We’re having it on the long weekend, on the Monday, which will also be the grand opening of the massive recreational works that have been carried out at Montana Park,” Daneille explained.

“This includes a skate park that has just been finished, gym equipment, and a barbecue area… we’ve just laid the slab, the barbecue itself is stored at my work at the moment, but will definitely be in by the day!” she added.

Keeping with the friendly and intimate nature of the community, the markets are designed as a boutique event emphasising quality over quantity, Daneille told Orange City Life.

“We’ve got 35–40 stall-holders already. We don’t want it too big, we want to keep it nice and intimate with a cap of 50, with almost everyone local vendors.

“There’ll be plants for sale, wood-making from Dubbo, jewellery, candles and, to involve the community, businesses like the bowling club and Amusu Theatre will also be open,” she revealed.

While getting a quick snack, fast and fresh, from food outlets is often one of the bottlenecks at such events, visitors, she assured, will be well-serviced on the day.

“We’ve got the local pre-school running a sausage sizzle, a Romanian lady from Cowra who does crepes, hot-dogs, bacon and egg rolls, chicken, and more.

“For entertainment we’ll also have a mechanical bull, a jumping castle, with musician Shane Kerr from Cowra performing during the event,” Daneille revealed.

With the $350,000 transformation being funded by the Manildra Group and the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund, the fair is also a fun way of launching the new facilities for the 500-strong community.

“The markets are a way of getting the town on the map; we all got together and decided to get something done. I came up with it, when I thought, ‘What can we do for the town?’ and said, ‘Let’s do it bigger and better’,” Daneille said.

The way that all the locals have got behind the event, she believes, shows what a great place Manildra is to live.

“It’s the community, the friendly faces when you go down the street and everyone says ‘hello’.

“I moved here about 14 years’ ago from Dubbo, and it’s not like being in one of the bigger regional cities, everyone knows you and we all care about each other,” she concluded.

The fair is on Monday, June 8, from 10am–2pm. For more info, go to the Montana Park Manildra Markets Facebook page.