But what really keeps us warm are the extraordinary links with our community – your support, our partnerships and fundraising events – which are all helping keep your Riversdale heritage alive.

After the State Government’s heritage grant for us to start work repairing walls inside the house, Riversdale really is making hay while the sun shines!

We must give a massive shout out to Fay and Anthony Reynolds from Lake Bathurst; Max, Adrian and David Keith from Taralga; and of course our wonderful garden volunteers and friends including Judy Robertson!

We were unable to fund extra mulching needed after extended summer heat for our four acres of restored gardens and may have had to apply for scarce funds somehow. 

With Ros Loftus and Judy onto the bush telegraph, in record time a huge hay stack was donated by a friend of Judy’s and the Reynolds kicked in two massive lucerne rolls from their property! 

To top it all off the Keiths turned up with their equipment and labour to stack it all for us properly with Fay helping out with the gardens!

Thanks to this extraordinary support our renowned roses and garden beds are protected for all to enjoy. Thank you!

We also give a special thank you to Mrs Groves, mother of volunteer Susie who herself has just become a mum.

Mrs Groves’ generous donation has enabled us to create a new special protected space beside the eastern verandah overlooking the gardens which we’ll use for Devonshire Tea fundraising in the sun!

Calling all car boot sellers: start planning for our next quarterly Car Boot Sale on Sunday, August 20.

We’ll have a barbecue, Devonshire teas, our garden and gift shop and usual tours.

At $10 a boot/trailer please contact Judy if you’d like a selling space on 0408 490 252.

If you can help promote it about town email riversdale@nationaltrust.com.au for the flyer.

Public entry is free to the grounds.

As many of you know, we are only open for one day in July – and you guessed it – it’s our monthly Devonshire Tea Sunday on July 16 from 10am to 3pm!

With the Twynam Tea room set up inside it doesn’t matter if it’s cold and raining. If it’s nice, you can sit sheltered from the wind, drink your tea with our home made scones and admire the bulbs (and the mulch!) from our new outdoor area!

We are very pleased again to host training of local TAFE horticulture students with our regular pruning day on site on July 18.

Our strong TAFE partnership and range of horticultural opportunities helps skill up local students, with added cudos of working on a National Trust property of national significance.

This time we will host seven Horticulture Certificate III students and one Certificate II trainee, with tasks assigned by Ros as their ‘client’ Good luck, everyone.

After our recent Twynam lace collection exhibition, we are now excited to be in the process of its historical evaluation by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

This is a momentous opportunity for recognition on a national stage of this unique collection dating back to 1790.

Congratulations to our volunteer Lizzie Underwood and the Riversdale team for their expert care and hard work in making this happen.

Riversdale is thankful for the talent and dedication volunteers contribute to its conservation work, and inspired by the passion volunteers bring to keeping Riversdale’s heritage accessible. Contribute by becoming a volunteer or donor today.