Max Keith introduced Ken Fleming, who gave a short history of the lake.

Previously, settlement stopped at the Blue Mountains as the government forbade the further exploration of the land beyond.

However the land was becoming over-settled so Charles Throsby and his party were charged set off to find another way around the mountains.

This he did and it is said that he first sighted Burra Lake in 1819.

The Keith family now owns the Burra Lake land but the among the first settlers were Rooks (1869) and Cusacks (1844).

Ken said that the Macarthur brothers owned between 34,000 and 38,000 acres of land in the area. They, of course, had convict labour to clear the land and shepherd the sheep.

Ken related how Throsby camped on the edge of the lake before taking five days to reach Bathurst.

In the following year, 1820, Oxley along with McAlister, Hillas, Jameson and MacArthur proved that the Blue Mountains had been conquered and grants of land were given to these men.

The first white child was born in the area in 1828.

A Cusack descendant, Cheryl Chalker, had the honour of unveiling the commemorative plaque on the site.

Cheryl said it indeed was an honour as she removed the cover from the descriptive plaque. Max then invited those present to a cup of tea and scone.

John Stafford, Mayor of Upper Lachlan Shire Council, said the mind boggled at the numbers present at the opening of the Taste of Taralga Festival.

Members of Parliament, Angus Taylor and Wendy Tuckerman, were both on deck when Angus was called on to unveil the plaque in the Historical Society Complex.

Angus spoke on the resilience of farmers. Ken also told how in 1945 a plane crashed into the lake but it is believed no one was killed.

Music from the Mountain Dew Band appealed to the older generation while the younger ones were catered for as well.

The crowd at the dance was huge and many partied on until the early hours.

The harnessing of the bullock team on Sunday morning drew a huge crowd and when they were ready the team led off the parade which stretched up the main street and down Hillas Street, finishing at the Showground.

Cars, floats, sulkies and horses lined up for the parade.

Food, drinks and a variety of stalls saw queues form quickly, while participants in the many contests were kept entertained.