From its earliest beginnings Wandong was always the hub of dancing and fun. Before the Public Hall was built an area at the Terra Cotta Lumber works was set aside and used as a dance hall. Ernest Gaskell manager of the Seasoning Works built a hall on land in Rail Street, and this was used as a Gospel Hall and general meeting place until the public Hall was built.

On the opening of the hall in 1902 Wandong was ready to party, and party hard. Dances held in the hall went to all hours of the morning, most dances were fundraisers for something in the town, the Roman Catholic Ball went for many years and was a highlight on the local calendar.

Euchre parties were held on a regular basis and the annual school concert was a fundraiser for much needed equipment for the school. Everyone pitched in, scones and cakes were baked and delivered, no-one attended without a plate. The day before a dance the floor of the hall was prepared, the method for getting the floor to its slippery best was cutting up candles and spreading the wax around the room, then a wooden box covered in hessian bags was dragged around the floor, usually with a local child inside for weight. Cups and saucers were kept in wooden boxes and handed around at supper time with hot tea in large teapots offered with someone else on the milk.

Angus McDonald was a great dance caller and spent most of the dance night on the stage calling the dances, the youngsters once too tired to stay were sent off home to bed, there was no problem with kids making their way home in those days.

Today the town annual events are a little different, for over 20 years a reunion of past Wandong School students has occurred at the Australiana, this event held in March continues to be popular with new people coming along each year. Christmas Carols are held at the Community Building a week or so before Christmas, with local groups singing and the State School taking part this is a great night and of course a visit from Santa tops the evening off for the kids.

ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies now take place, the building of the town’s memorial in 2015 has allowed local residents to observe these important days in their own town and are always well attended.

Recent events to commemorate the anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires have been very well attended events, the committee has decided that there will be no more of these commemorations as the town has moved on from this disaster and now people remember in their own way rather than at a public event.

The locals of the area love to come together whenever they can and support each other through events and helping where help is needed. A typical country community with its roots in the old days of never letting “someone go short” still applies today.