“Capturing the community spirit” is something the town of Cobar is renowned for and the local business association emphasised that at the annual Christmas parade and gala this year.

Cobar Christmas Parade - image courtesy John De Bruin

The Cobar Business Association created the “Margaret’s Choice Award” to be awarded to the Best in the Parade at the annual festivities which was held last weekend.

The Award is dedicated to Margaret Settree, a former member of the Association, who passed away 10 years ago this week.

Margaret was the epitome of community spirit along with her husband Ian Settree, both considered some of Cobar’s finest for their outstanding contributions to the community.

Margaret and Ian Settree.

Cobar Business Association President Sharon Harland said it was a tough job awarding the “Margaret’s Choice Award’.

“The Award is named in honour of our former vice president Margaret Settree, who was a member of the executive committee for many years and one of the instigators of getting the parade up and running in 2013.

“As a committee, we get together with Santa at the end of the parade and have a cold beer in memory of Margaret. She wasn’t really a beer drinker but reckoned you couldn’t beat a cold beer on a hot day and boy was it hot this year,” said Mrs Harland.

“Cobar Junior Rugby League won the ‘Margaret’s Choice’ trophy as the best community spirit entry. The club supports the parade each year and make a big effort to do something new each time,” she said.

According to daughter Wendy Robinson, Margaret thrived on doing better for Cobar to keep the community strong and interesting.

Cobar Christmas Parade - image courtesy John De Bruin

“She was passionate about the youth in Cobar being given a chance in employment and would bend over backwards to employ them or find someone who would.

“She was instrumental in recreating the Christmas street parade and was determined to get it going again. She was a driving force in the Cobar Business Association, was a volunteer committee member on the board of the Cobar Weekly, was dedicated in getting Batyr to start the Cobar Chapter in the mental health and suicide prevention program.

 Cobar Christmas Parade - image courtesy John De Bruin

“Mum and Dad originally came to Cobar for three years in 1978 to lease the Golden Fleece Service Station. Over 35 years later they were instrumental in setting up many businesses, involved on many committees, employing over a thousand people in the town and calling Cobar home,” said Mrs Robinson.

Roy Butler MP for Barwon - Image Roy Butler Facebook

Community Spirit is never more present than in the face of hardship or in the lead up to Christmas, according to Independent MP for Barwon Roy Butler.

“Marg and Ian (Setts) Settree were, and still are, the kind of people who come to mind when Cobar thinks of community spirit.

“This week, 10 years ago, the Cobar community tragically lost two very precious individuals. Marg and Setts are never far from people's minds, and we remember their constant positive contributions to the town of Cobar."

Cobar Christmas Parade - image courtesy John De Bruin