2015 marks 200 years since the City of Penrith was established and the first government building was constructed.
To celebrate the historic milestone, Council is coordinating a year-long program of events for the community.
The Bicentenary of Penrith celebration program will commence in February, with the opening of a heritage display at Penrith City Library.
The display features artefacts belonging to early settlers and explorers, along with images of important documents dating back to the 1800s.
There will also be a number of history–inspired events, activities and competitions for the community to get involved in each month, culminating in the Bicentenary Community Festival in September.
This event will be held at Thornton Oval that was built in 1870 and is historically significant; it was where one of the first cricket matches took place and the first local flight of a light airplane took off.
Penrith Mayor Councillor Ross Fowler OAM said he’s looking forward to learning about, and celebrating Penrith’s unique and colourful past throughout the year.
“There are so many people who have played important roles in Penrith’s history, and yet they remain largely unknown to our community.
“The Bicentennial celebrations give us an opportunity to acknowledge these people and celebrate their achievements.
“Most importantly, the Bicentenary allows us to look back at the history of Penrith, to see how far the city has come in 200 years and really appreciate everything about our current way of life and where we live today.”
