While there were plenty of valid suggestions – and fun guesses – from readers for our Throwback Thursday challenge this week, we’ve discovered what we believe was really going on in our archive photo.
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The photo was indeed taken of Carp St, with the buildings visible now Gloria Jeans and the National Australia Bank on the right, and the former Target Country store on the left.
According to documents, and supporting photos, held by the Bega Pioneers’ Museum, the huge crowd is the first allotment of men from Bega heading off to serve in World War 2 – and not for the launch of the iPhone 1 as one cheeky reader suggested!
The men on top of the buses are likely having suitcases and duffel bags thrown up to them for packing before the men below file into the vehicles for the trip.
Thank you to everyone who sent us messages about the great photo of an important time in Bega’s history.
Is there any chance we would get a crowd that large in Carp St ever again?
Keep your eye on the BDN website for the next Throwback Thursday dip into the archives.
Are we sure that is Bega ? I doubt we could raise a crowd of men of those proportions in this day and age.
David Plumb
Corn Beef was on special at the Butchers!
John Anthonycafe
It looks like happie hour at the pub
Jo Durward
Land sale gold rush ??
Evi Scott
According to Wikipedia, the Plume oil brand was only introduced in 1916, so it has to at least be after that Great photo!
Lizzy Porter
all the attention seems to be fixed on a single point, perhaps on a trailer in the convoy. It can only be one thing - the first sailing boat on it's way to the Wallagoot Lake Boat Club!
Tony Quoll Hastings
iPhone 1 launch
Jarra McKay-Collins
The line at centrelink when it first opened
Kayla Hempenstall-Rollason
1st ever Bega on the Go Christmas party, and Santa is throwing lollies?
Ethan Dack Dack
Mabey welcome King George to Bega show
Dot Russell
Someone famous. The crowd is looking up at someone on the van.
Helen Evans
Federation?
Anne Hamilton-foster
Sir Charles kingsford smith ?
John Aylmer
Go to Bega museum they will know great photo
Raymond Pearce
Maybe it's a local election or voting
Sammy Jo Fuge