Leeton Art Deco Weekend

30 July 2025 / Words: Rod Nicholas. Photos: Rod Nicholas, Bricet Kloren, Lili Chi, Rob Wilkins, Donna Sharpe

Our third expedition to Leeton for the Art Deco Festival snuck up on me like a burglar. It had been so long ago that I initiated the run that I had almost forgotten to finish the planning. As it was, a little cramming a short time before take-off can work just as well.
And so it was that on a pleasant winter’s morning seven MX-5s bearing 14 members headed out of Hall for a short stint on the Barton and Hume Boreways. We went through to Yass and out on a twisty little track through Rye Park to Boorowa for a quick comfort and recaffeination stop. Then a trip along Moppity Road (because I haven’t been on this road for a while) to Young and onwards to our lunch stop at Temora. The roads weren’t busy and we were in no hurry, so a gentle pace got us to our ‘regular’ lunch stop of the White Rose Café just on the 12:30. Although I hadn’t pre-warned them, the friendly staff handled our invasion with aplomb, promptly feeding us with zero fuss.

Temora to Leeton was more good rural roads, again largely traffic-free, until we turned off the Burley Griffin Way into Kamarah Road a little past Ardlethan. A very large semi had no particular regard for the line of MX-5s behind him, but the long straight stretch of narrow road was enough to provide for a speedy overtaking manoeuvre. A little later we were warm and snug in our Leeton accommodation, catching up with Annie and Lawrie (who’d joined us from Wagga Wagga) and preparing for ‘fivesies’ and dinner at the Soldier’s Club.

Saturday was for attending Festival events. Some did the Art Deco Walking Tour hearing about the wonders of a century ago spread around the town centre—the Roxy Theatre (built in 1929 and recently refurbished), the Walter Burley-Griffin designed Chelmsford Place and the Water Towers, pubs, shops and government buildings—all interestingly Art Deco. Some enjoyed cocktail making classes, cabarets and dinners. Others enjoyed a chat with Geoffrey Graham who brought Henry Lawson to life, telling tales and reciting poems—Lawson had spent several months in Leeton during 1916 sobering up (not all that successful) and writing (very successful). Some took a drive around the region.

And there was also an enjoyable market and a soap-box derby for the kids. Among it all, folks from all over Australia dressed in their finest dapper suits, fancy frocks and art-deco-era clothes—Donna and Jeff and Berenice and Phil put the rest of us dowdy dressers to shame!

With an extra day in to the run this year I offered several choices of adventure, and we settled on a trip to Griffith via Darlington Point. We visited the Hermit’s Cave (where Valerio Ricetti, an Italian migrant, dug and moved hundreds of tons of stone and earth to create a series of shelters and overhangs that became his home for some 23 years). A late lunch led to a short drive to the Calabria Family Wines for tasting and purchase (it’s amazing how many bottles of wine you can squeeze into an MX-5 boot).
Our Monday route home took us past several water-tank and silo artworks. The first stop was Narrandera, and its impressive artwork. From there to Lockhart for a somewhat smaller work and some clever scrap-metal structures. Coffee was easily obtained, unlike last year when our Sunday stop felt like visiting a ghost town. Onwards to Wagga Wagga via Mibrulong, The Rock and Uranquinty, where a change in plan had us dining in Estella, a new development in Wagga Wagga. The Stellar Star Food and Espresso Bar (on Annie’s recommendation) was an absolute treat.

Fed and coffee-full, we headed home, on an interesting run along the Oura and Nangus Roads to Gundagai. Nice winding roads, good surface, little traffic and a good clear day, followed by 90-odd minutes of the Hume to get home.
The trip to Leeton was a great success, heartily enjoyed by all. The Festival is worth a visit, but after three years in a row we might give the planning over to some other member and have a little rest from this one.

If you are interested, the map links are:
Day 1 – Canberra to Leeton: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8s9A8VBCuFdrQwb9
Day 1 – Leeton to Canberra (with artworks): https://maps.app.goo.gl/raULmDLKzvFEQQAV7

There are plenty more pictures on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/mx5canberra) and Rob Wilkin’s Flickr page.