The sound of gunfire and sights of Australia’s early colonial history will feature at Ironfest this weekend.
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Re-enactment group Lithgow Living History will be putting on a show for the crowd “to show people in history the way they really were" according to the group’s convener Ian Rufus.
Convicts and red coats from centuries past will set up camp at Ironfest displaying tools and weaponry from the Australian colonial era. The weapons will also be shot at the camp, only using blanks of course.
A group will also re-enact the defence of Port Moresby in 1942.
"We'll have civilians there, we'll have resistance fighters there, we'll have military personnel representing the 39th Battalion which are the famous ones that beat back the Japanese on the Kokoda Track,” said Mr Rufus.
“We will also hopefully have some representatives of the air-force as well."
Mr Rufus said the group is continually researching our history and finding new information and stories.
"We are accurate historically but we also believe in theatre and we also believe in having a relationship with our audience," he said.
"We don't just stand there in our uniforms, we actively present stories to our audience and show people things and respond to what they want to hear or see.
"We're continually researching our history and continually finding new information and new stories to come up with."
Lithgow Living History members will also be displaying lost carpentry trades and historic bicycles.
"The Vietnam war is becoming more interesting to people and so at Ironfest this year we will have an extensive Vietnam display including period correct weapons and dress," said Mr Rufus.
"That promises to be very interesting, some weapons I've never seen in action myself."
The group started in Lithgow around five years ago and has quickly developed into the Blue Mountains and West towards Bathurst.
To get involved with Lithgow Living History send a message to the group's Facebook page.
Ironfest will be open from 9am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday. A preview will also be running from 3-6pm on Friday for a cost of $5 at the gate.
Visit http://ironfest.net/tickets/ for ticket prices.