Until the crowds gathered for the unveiling of the memorial to explorer, Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki, nobody could have guessed the treat that was in store.
Last Saturday, His Excellency Ambassador of Poland, Professor Maciej Chmielinkski, along with Towong Mayor, Cr Andrew Whitehead, unveiled the memorial on Towong Hill Road, which was sponsored by Kosciuszko Heritage Inc.
The memorial marks Sir Paul’s life and achievements and his ascent and naming of our highest mountain, after his hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
In March 1840 Strzelecki and his party walked along the Victorian side of the Murray River from Tintaldra to Bringenbrong, passing the area where Towong village now stands before continuing further along the Murray Valley and crossing the river again near Bringenbrong Bridge.
Never before has the sound of violins filled the surrounding Upper Murray Valley and Towong Hill Road in the way it did with the musicians from the Paderewski Youth Orchestra playing a fiery Mazurka Emil Mlynarski.
What the wedge-tailed-eagle riding on the thermals above thought of the violins and the colourful Polish national costumes, we will never know!
If that was not enough to thrill the crowd, following a light lunch and reception in the Corryong & District Memorial Hall, internationally renowned concert pianist Krysztof (Chris) Malek, the Paderewski Youth Orchestra from Chicago and the Lajkonik Polish dancers entertained and enchanted the audience.
Aussie singer-songwriter Melanie Horsnell’s beautiful voice filled the hall with her song ‘How does the Heart of the Explorer Grow’.
The program continued on Sunday beginning with a Mass celebrated by Fr Stan at the Khancoban Airfield and a series of helicopter flights over Mt Townsend and Kosciuszko.
The generosity of Dr Ernestyna Skurjac-Kozek, Professor Andrzej Kozek and Kosciuszko Heritage Inc along with members of the Polish community has been a much appreciated gift to the people of the Upper Murray.
Thanks go to the Memorial Hall Committee and to Helen Marshall from the Corryong Café Brew and to John Murphy, Colleen Wood and all those who worked so hard to make the weekend such a wonderful success. The audience was treated to a rich array of Polish culture and music and the Paderewski Youth Orchestra was an absolute delight to watch.
The hall’s newly acquired baby grand piano was also a feature of the celebrations. Special thanks to Agnes Potocnik and the hall committee and all involved in ensuring it arrived in time and tuned. Krysztof officially christened the keys of the latest acquisition!
Related story: Polymath celebrated this weekend
This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 23 November 2023.
