Rachael Hilton, Steve Pinney, Nicole Hilton.
Visitors to the Murrumburrah Showgrounds on Saturday the 16th of November were treated to an unusual exhibition.
The exhibition highlighted the Daphne Hilton (Ceeney) story, one of Australia’s greatest athletes.
The old school building Cowabbie was fitted out with information boards, photographs and memorabilia displayed by Harden-Murrumburrah Historical Society members Steve Pinney and his daughter Melissa Pinney.
Daphne’s daughters Rachael and Nicole Hilton enabled the display.
Items such as her archery and fencing equipment, Paralympics Relay Torch, and jackets worn when she represented Australia that led to Paralympic and Commonwealth Games medals; over 40 medals were on display for young and old to view.
Many visitors to the show stayed in the building for some time reading the information boards and discussing Daphne’s incredible achievements with Steve, Rachael, Nicole, and Melissa.
Stories were also shared by locals who remembered the Ticker-tape parade that was held in Harden-Murrumburrah after a young Daphne Ceeney arrived home from the first official Paralympics in Rome in 1960.
Ross Pollock, Jill Berney, Steve Pinney, Peter Orr.
In this instance the same comment came up again and again “I had no idea just how many international competitions Daphne excelled at, or that they spanned over 40 years”.
One local said, “if Junee has a statue of Ray Warren, and Cootamundra has a statue of Don Bradman, surely Harden-Murrumburrah should have one of Daphne!”
Daphne Hilton Archery in Action.
As well as medals at Paralympics and Commonwealth Games in the 1960’s, Daphne went on to compete in range of national and international competitions. Her last medals were won at the 2001 World Wheelchair Games in Spain.
Many young visitors to the exhibit were blown away that such an amazing women came from our Twin Towns, and a lot commented that without the exhibit they may never have learnt about Daphne.
Melissa and Steve (as representatives of the Harden-Murrumburrah Historical Society) will keep working with Rachael and Nicole to consider how medals and memorabilia can continue to be available as an attraction for locals and visitors to view in years to come.
-Robyn Atherton
