It has been 150 years since The Settlement became Milton, with January 1 the official date of Milton’s founding.

With markets set to be held, a barbecue on the Village Green and lots of locals on hand to share stories, the celebrations will start on Saturday, January 2.

Milton 150th Anniversary committee members Sue McMahon and Margaret Osmond have been hard at work for more than a year with fellow committee members Beverley Pond and Gary Thompson and told the Times that the plans are starting to come together.

“The barbecue should be a great way to kick off a year of celebrations,” Marg said.

“We are encouraging everyone to come along and be a part of the fun.”

The barbecue will run from 8.30am to 11am with funds raised to go towards Milton 150th anniversary events.

The Milton Post Office will also help to commemorate the anniversary with a special rubber stamp to stamp mail coming through the office.

To get your mail stamped, call in to the post office anytime from January 4.

Further plans for the year will see the annual festivals and events in Milton adopt the 150th theme including the Escape artFEST, the Milton Show and Scarecrow Festival and a range of specially organised events.

Events planned for the year will include a Heritage Craft Expo in January, a celebration at Milton Showground including the opening of the Milton 125th anniversary time capsule sealed in 1985 and a colonial bush dance in March and an anniversary dinner in April.

The year will also see colouring competitions, commemorative church services and much more.

Local community groups are being encouraged to make their celebrations a part of the anniversary fun by adopting the 150th theme.

Students from the region’s schools will be getting involved with a good response from all the local schools about contributing to the event.

To find out more about the upcoming year’s activities, or to contribute an idea, contact Sue McMahon on 4455 2739 or Margaret Osmond on 4454 5819.

As part of the celebrations for Milton 150th Anniversary, the committee is encouraging people to experience some local history.

The poem (ABOVE) was first published in a locally produced event program in 1924 but the author is unknown.

COME BACK

Come back again to Milton

Come home to us once more

And meet the friends who knew you

In happy days of yore.

Some scenes will bring back pleasure,

Though some, perhaps, bring pain;

But there’s a hearty welcome

When you’re with us again.