Over 40 women turned out for the event and were inspired, judging by the camaraderie on show around the library.  

Library coordinator Terry O’Keefe said she was excited to host the event for a second year and was hoping for a fun morning to learn from the guest speakers. 

“Today is an important day for driving greater change and the library is a perfect venue for this event because it’s a friendly and accessible space,” she said. 

Guest speaker Lynne Morton has been one of the team of librarians at the Jessie Street National Women’s Library since 2012.  

When it came to the ‘Press for progress’ theme of Lithgow’s women's day Ms Morton spoke highly of community activism. 

“There’s just so much for us to do, we’ve achieved legislation but we need to focus on the point of view of women,” she said. 

“I am just really pleased to be here and am happy to support such a beautiful community and lively library.”

During the interval the library ukulele group performed two renditions of ‘Sisters are doing it for themselves’ and ‘Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around’. The audience was asked to sing along. 

Fellow speaker Julia Burns, a former Lithgow resident who is now the managing partner of the successful human resources consulting firm, ‘Julia Burns Consulting’ spoke about some of her career highlights, including addressing the United Nations General Assembly on gender equality and managing VIP transport services for the Sydney Olympics.  

During her speech she focused on the theme ‘press for progress’. 

“I think it means all different things but I’m going to focus on four different themes; pressing through doubts, opening doors and stepping through them, all of us in it together and defining a new reality and making it happen,” she said.