Wee Waa shines in Whiddon’s inaugural bush poetry competition

In a big team effort, a poem written by a group of Wee Waa residents won Whiddon’s inaugural Bush Poetry Competition, the poem A Place to Treasure is featured below.

Whiddon Wee Waa resident Frances Carrett was honoured with a highly commended recognition for her poem Alone.

The poem penned by Frances beautifully reflects on the experience of transitioning into aged care, the warmth of the Wee Waa community, and the heart of rural life.

Whiddon Wee Waa resident Frances Carrett was honoured with a highly commended recognition for her poem Alone.

Alone

Written by Frances Carrett

Wow I sold my home, Because I found I was alone.
And here I came to a different zone, Wee Waa, small but a change for me.
To move into a house with a lot of glee.

Just a very country style everyone seems to be, Me coming from a city lot and being very free.
Into a nursing home called Whiddon for care, With love all around, from the kind staff there.

I really love the weather not being cold, Because you do know it, I am getting old. But I have to get going, or I will fall apart.
I found the people here have a lot of heart. Here is a hospital not being used. All it seems to be getting is a lot of abuse.

If only the city needs to know that with care, Doctors and nurses is all that is needed there. Just right next door to Whiddon Care. How lovely it stands.

All very empty but looking grand. With the nearby park with swings
galore, Give the town kids what they needed more, With love for their town of Wee Waa.
My son lives by with his family galore. Nine grandkids, but there could be more.
What with country life, like rabbits breed well, I suppose it is like carrots they are easy to sell.

In a town full of farmers, that work and dwell. Of life’s hard work, but with a friendly smile, That goes a long, long way, for miles and miles. In our beautiful country lives.

A Place to Treasure

By the residents of Whiddon Wee Waa

We live in the country with the sun on our face,
Our lives are full of love and grace.
The summer sun our land it bakes,
Where farmers work until their backs they break.
From sun up to sundown,
they work their land.
With dreams of a larger and greater plan.
The Namoi River runs through our town,
When the rains fall our river turns brown.
The banks around us keep the waters at bay.
We thank the lord for hearing the words that we pray.
As time goes by and our land it dries, and its back to work in the sun and the flies.
The seasons come and go by so fast.
We sit and reminisce about times of the past.
How people and places in the years have changed, and over time our lives rearranged.
But still, we remain in our place of awe,
Our little hometown known as Wee Waa.
In times of good and bad we stand together, for this is our home our life our treasure.