New heritage festival to celebrate Southern Forests and Valleys’ history

A new two-week Southern Forests and Valleys Heritage Festival is coming to 2025 to celebrate the regions’ rich history. The festival will invite the community and visitors to explore and engage with the history which shaped the region. Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils executive officer Katie McDonnell said the event was about telling stories and recognising legacies in the area. “It’s not just about visitors — it’s actually for people who live here to explore their own backyard,” she said. “It’s all about just celebrating what we already have. Hopefully, visitors will (also) gain an insight into Indigenous heritage of the area. “It’s different. There’s nothing like this in the region, and not really anything in the area.” The inaugural festival will take place from April 19 to May 4 next year with the group open to the community’s ideas on what they would like to see. Ms McDonnell told the Times heritage themed workshops, demonstrations on traditional crafts, storytelling and guided walks were all on the cards. “It’s not going to cost a lot of money to do this — we are going to do everything digitally,” she said. “It is an exciting opportunity. It’s about uniting the community and celebrating the rich tapestry of the region. We just want everybody to be part of it.” Manjimup shire president Donelle Buegge, who is also WBAC chair, said the heritage festival would be a unique opportunity for the region to celebrate diversity in heritage. “Community groups have the opportunity to showcase what makes our towns fabulous,” she said. “It could be through displays, story telling, dancing or reflecting on the events and people of the past.”