The town’s school children grabbed bags full of the juicy fruits along Finch St. While some were sampled on the spot, the majority will be taken to Bingara Hospital and Touriandi Lodge, the town’s nursing home, to be enjoyed by hospital patients and Touriandi residents.

At the official ceremony outside Bingara Central School, speeches were delivered focusing on the two key issues: respect and responsibility, the attributes shown by the children who leave the oranges on the trees until picking day.

All school students received a commemorative 50th anniversary badge and a wreath was laid to honour the fallen.

The orange trees have long been a focal point of Bingara, and in recent years, the original valencias have been replaced by navels. Additional trees have been planted around the Gwydir Oval.

During the year all Bingara residents leave the trees untouched, even the children, who are taught the significance of the living memorial to the town’s war dead.

This respect, self discipline and pride in this unique memorial has been carried on since the 1960s, from one generation to the next. In 1998 the first annual Orange Festival was held to emphasise the importance of Bingara’s orange trees, while reflecting on the cultural heritage of the town.

This year’s 50th anniversary of the orange picking has meant a large increase in the annual festival, with a record 60 market stalls booked to attend today’s celebrations.

Stallholders selling a range of goods have travelled from Goondiwindi, Coffs Harbour, Armidale, Glen Innes, Narrabri, Guyra, Niangala, Barmedman, Bingara and beyond to complement the uniquely Bingara retail outlets.

There will be live performances throughout the day provided by Tamworth trio Those Gals, and Moree’s Little Poppy. Rodney the Clown will amuse the young and the young at heart.