Opening of New Exhibition Pavilions @ St Marys
Friday 3rd September saw the official opening of our New Exhibition Pavilions at St. Marys to house three historic wooden wagons.
The Bennett Wagons enterprise was one of St Mary’s manufacturing stalwarts in the 19th Century. The wagons were made originally by James Bennett (Snr) in a shed behind the hotel now know as the Park View opposite Victoria Park.
Subsequently his sons took over an area of Queen Street with two Bennett factories and their wagons employed Australia-wide as well as on the West Coast of the USA.
Commissioned by Penrith City Council with the imprimateur of St Marys & District Historical Society, the pavilions were opened by Mayor Cr Ross Fowler OAM & Mrs Joan Dent, the daughter of the late Mr Harold Bennett,who was the last of the Bennett wagon builders in St Marys.
The largest wagon will be pulled by four magnificent draft horses on September 5th as part of the St Marys Spring Festival 2015. #penrith200 #penrithcity
