CWA Shop in Launceston celebrates 70 years

Call Glenda Mountney any time of the day and she’ll probably answer the landline and say “hang on, I’ll just check my biscuits”.

At 87, the Country Women’s Association Life Member from Scottsdale is still cooking up a storm - her fruit cakes, worcestershire sauce, laurel jam, melon and lemon and melon and ginger jam are all wonderful home-made staples at the CWA Shop in Launceston.

Last week the shop, at 129 St John St, celebrated 70 years since it first opened its doors.

Members held a special event in nearby Legacy House to honour the shop’s history, the women who built it, and the community that has supported it for seven decades.

Glenda has been chair and secretary at Winnaleah and Pioneer CWA, Great Northern Group secretary and president, State handcraft secretary under Bernice Dobson and has been involved in helping organise several state conferences at both Bridport and Scottsdale.

Living alone since her farmer husband Francis passed away three years ago, the CWA family has provided the support, friendship and purpose she needs, just as it did when she was a young 19-year-old farmer’s wife living in Winnaleah initially and then Herrick for 50 years, in north-east Tasmania.

While Glenda was busy in a traditional mother and housewife role at home, she also helped Francis work a mixed farm of sheep, cattle and pigs, plus a Dorset sheep stud and a Jersey cow stud and standardbred horses.

When four children came along in quick succession, they all attended the weekly CWA meetings with mum - a similar scenario for so many other women living in rural areas, often isolated on farms with limited transport options and few chances to socialise.

Playpens were set up with toys and books in a corner like a playgroup while the women chatted and organised fundraisers, catering, craft and other activities.

“I actually first became involved when I was 16,” Glenda said.

“I was working at the Yolla shop and my mum was in the Winnaleah CWA, but they couldn’t get a secretary so she asked my boss if he could spare me one afternoon a week to take the minutes.

“He said I could as long as I brought him a plate of afternoon tea.”

“It required a special dispensation from the CWA state office, because there were no junior members allowed at that time.”

After moving and joining the Pioneer branch, it eventually closed down and she reverted back to Winnaleah.

Now, 71 years later, Glenda is delighted to see the CWA continue, and while the average age is much older than when she first joined, there is a consistent uptake of new members, more than a dozen branches around the state and the shop is thriving - it even has a new commercial kitchen.

“The CWA became my second family - I’ve been involved for so long that I’ve known some of my fellow members for more than 40 years,” Glenda said.

“Over the years everyone has helped me, at different times, and we have done what we can for our community.

“It was set up for country women to give them a social life and stay connected, and I remember we helped fund the first district nurses, and paid for radios to go into their vehicles so they could contact the hospital if they came across someone particularly sick.

“We also set up the first mobile libraries by funding the library buses.

“We often do catering, including anyone’s funeral in the district, which we never charge for but just take a donation towards expenses.”

Other community service work Glenda has been involved with has  included working for the Blind and Deaf Society for 40 years up until its closure.

But there’s no doubt it’s her CWA cooking that’s made her famous.

She loves to use ginger in her cooking, and one client orders 30 ginger biscuits a week and consumes most of them himself!

The laurel jam is a top seller, but people either love or hate its distinctive almond flavour.

“I spotted a recipe in The Leader cookbook and with a laden laurel tree in our yard at Herrick I decided to give it a go. I don’t like it myself but it flies off the shelf.”

At one point Glenda was cooking Christmas puddings with the help of her husband after pudding master Ruth Beechey passed away.

They churned out 500 in their biggest year.

“It’s the fruit cakes that go well too, I can get eight at a time in my little oven in six inch square tins, and I think I make about 330 each year,” Glenda said.

The CWA shop keeps 25 percent from the items it sells to cover its running costs.

Glenda’s children Alan, Elaine, Ted and Maureen have long been well fed by their mum and now there’s 11 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren who are always raiding the biscuit tin.

Glenda was made a life member of the CWA on the day that Tasmania was waking up to the news that the Twin Towers had been destroyed by terrorists, a date she can never forget.

Along with branch and state life memberships, Glenda also has a Bell Ringer’s badge, having been a member of the CWA North Eastern Bell Ringers which represented Tasmania in interstate competitions.

“We came across a group of campinologists on a CWA trip to WA and decided we’d buy our own, which meant fundraising $12,000 for a set,” Glenda said.

“We took orders for pasties through the Cottage Bakery at Scottsdale to raise the money and we learned to play by converting notes to numbers - eventually playing at nursing homes and events around the state.”

After 23 years the group folded and the bells were sold cheaply to a lady in Brisbane who wanted them for a group of children with disabilities.

Next year the CWA will reach another major milestone - 90 years of service in Tasmania - and no doubt Glenda will be a part of the celebrations.