The original Farewell Banquet for Robert O'Hara Burke in July 1860 was a sell-out, and history repeated itself on Friday 9 July when 160 people gathered in the historic Theatre Royal for the re-enactment, where they enjoyed a highly entertaining evening. or see the pictures on Facebook or on Picasa albums

In 1860 the banquet was a gentlemen only affair, and the ladies attending in 2010 were offered a selection of false beards so that they could be in keeping. Theatre Royal staff, suitably attired in Victorian outfits, managed to slip around the tables delivering very tasty food while we were welcomed by MC Peter Skilbeck and watched a slideshow of historic views of Castlemaine.

Robyn Annear's play, based on verbatim reports of original speeches, was both hilarious and thought-provoking, and beautifully performed by the locals playing their historic counterparts - mayor, newspaper reporter, police chief (Burke), minister and judge. Below the slideshow is her introduction to the players, and you can download the complete script.

After a short break for refills, Dr Peter Thorne, relinquishing his role as Sir William Stawell and resuming his persona as Vice-President of the Royal Society of Victoria, gave a presentation titled Images of Burke and Wills in Art and Film. This provided not only an overview of the history of the Expedition, but also a fascinating insight into the art that the story has inspired, and the way in which the 1985 film Burke and Wills made references to some of those famous artworks.

The Re-enactment: pictures and introduction to the cast

We’re here to commemorate – and, to an extent, to re-enact – an event of 150 years ago: Castlemaine’s farewell dinner to its police superintendent, Robert O’Hara Burke, on the occasion of his leaving the town to lead the Exploring Expedition northwards across the Australian continent – from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The following presentation features highlights of the actual speeches made at the farewell dinner, as reported in the Mount Alexander Mail – real words spoken by real people who were there, including Burke himself.

   Let me introduce our players:

Mayor of Mount Alexander Shire, Phillip Shier, speaks the part of his 1860 counterpart, William Froomes. Besides being Chairman of the Municipality of Castlemaine, Froomes ran a draper’s store on Market Square, at the corner of Barker and Mostyn streets.

As the Reverend John Storie, we have Father Ken Parker of Christ Church on Agitation Hill. I’m glad to say that Father Ken’s involvement corrects an historical glitch, since the then-Anglican minister did not oblige the farewell dinner with his presence (in spite of the fact that Burke was a parishioner of his), leaving the Presbyterian Reverend Storie to bless Castlemaine’s favourite son.

Speaking the eloquent words of George Crampton Leech is Felix Cappy. Leech was a barrister of the town (and later a County Court judge); and, although he and the police superintendent did not always represent the same side of the law, he clearly held Burke in high regard.

Dr Peter Thorne, Vice-President of the Royal Society of Victoria and Chair of the Burke & Wills Commemoration Committee, performs the part of Sir William Stawell, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and – more importantly in this instance – President of the Exploration Committee that had just engaged Burke as expedition leader.

Voicing the newspaper commentary of the Mount Alexander Mail is Max Lesser of today’s Castlemaine Mail.

And as Robert O’Hara Burke himself we have – quite fittingly – Castlemaine police sergeant Peter Lukaitis. Burke had been Superintendent of police in Castlemaine for just a couple of years; but he had, in that time, won a good deal of respect and friendship in the town. As you will hear, the honour of Burke’s appointment as leader of the Exploring Expedition was felt as much (perhaps more) by his adopted home-town as by the man himself.

And last but not least, you all have a part to play in this re-enactment of Burke’s farewell. The Mount Alexander Mail reported not only the speeches, but the audience’s enthusiastic responses – and I call upon you to respond likewise. To that end, my assistant, David Bannear, will, at appropriate junctures, hold up placards indicating the desired response.