UPDATE: The Sydney Military Muster has been postponed due to the massive rain falls predicted this weekend in the Sydney basin. Visit 'Sydney Military Muster Febuary 9th 2020' on Facebook for updates.
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IF you're interested in military history or want to help educate the kids, get along to the Australiana Pioneer Village for the Military Muster.
There will be up to 40 military vehicles from WWI right through to the Vietnam War and more recent conflicts, as well as re-enactors portraying sailors, soldiers and airmen.
There will also be an array of military equipment to look at, as well as battle re-enactments, talks and demonstrations.
Visitors can ask questions and interact with those in uniform portraying American, British, Russian, French and German military pasts.
Visitors will be invited to lay wreaths and flowers during a memorial service at the Village Memorial Garden, which will feature a three-piece jazz band playing WWII-era music.
James Downey, president of the 18th Battalion Living History Group - a Sydney-based Australian WWI re-enactment group - said there will be something for all ages at the Military Muster.
"There'll be a bit of nostalgia for the older generation, but the younger generation seem to be keen on the history, so they'll enjoy the visual aspect of it," Mr Downey said.
Warren Packer, a Freemans Reach resident and member of the Australian Ex-Military Vehicle Collectors Society (AMVCS), will have six vehicles at the Muster, including a 1966 Vietnam-era ambulance, Landrovers from 1978 and 1991, a 1991 military police bike, and a mobile field kitchen.
How did he get involved in the AMVCS?
"A midlife crisis," he said.
"I said to my wife 'I want a hobby, something to do with old military vehicles', and she said 'go for it' and it just grew from there."
Mr Packer said he was looking forward to the battle re-enactments.
"We're going to have a mock battle between the Vietnam-era club - they'll bring their rifles and attack the Vietnamese," he said.
"And there's a group who do Americans and a group who re-enact Germans and we'll fight throughout the day as well."
Mr Packer said it will be the first Military Muster for the Sydney basin: "There's several big ones in Australia, but this is the only one that's Sydney based for the moment."
The Sydney Military Muster will take place on Sunday, February 9, from 9.30am until 4pm at Australiana Pioneer Village, Rose Street, Wilberforce. Children under five free, school children $3, adults $5, and family pass (two adults, two children) $15. Parking is free.
