We’ll meet again: The Rhodes family has not met up since the last reunion in 1998.
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Benalla will play host to a special reunion next Sunday as more than 80 members of the Rhodes family assemble at the Scout Hall for the first time in 21 years.
Organiser John Rhodes was part of the family’s first reunion in Bethanga in 1988, and another celebration 10 years later.
‘‘I organised our first family reunion to coincide with the 200 years of Australia celebrations,’’ John said.
‘‘The second one was in 1998 and the plan was to hold one every 10 years, unfortunately we all got a bit busy and we never got around to organising one in 2008.
‘‘William and Sarah Rhodes — nee Thomas — were the first of our family to come over. But the reunion includes the Banfields, the Hawkins and the Wilsons, as their daughters all married into different families.’’
William and Sarah first arrived in Australia from Europe in 1854 on the Lord Stanley, they would settle in Ballarat.
They arrived at a turbulent time and were involved in the Battle of the Eureka Stockade where Sarah acted as a nurse assisting the injured minors.
With a severe case of gold-fever, and concern that their involvement in the Eureka Stockade might lead to trouble, the family relocated to Eldorado soon after.
They mined an area known as Napoleon Flat, close to Beechworth with some success.
However, the family would hit their fortune when they moved their mining operations to Bethanga, near Wodonga.
‘‘From there the family grew and we basically spread down the highway, so we’ll be coming from Wodonga, Wangaratta, and a few of us live in Benalla,’’ John said.
‘‘But we’ve also moved further afield and I believe we’ve got a few from Queensland and South Australia, too.
‘‘We’re expecting between 80 and 100 people, and it will be great to meet up. Some of our relatives who were kids at the ’88 reunion will be coming down for this one and bringing their kids.
‘‘The most senior member of the family attending will be Betty O’Dea, she is in her 90s now.
‘‘It will be a bit of a picnic and we’re asking everyone to bring some food. It should be a great day.’’
