date my photo please Wattle Flat NSW Australia

[gobbitt]

Hi Kristin

My postcard dated 1913 from Westleton, in the English county of Suffolk, shows the stoles worn by both children and adult members of the Sons of Temperance Friendly Society.

Perhaps your group belonged to a similar self-help organization or another part of the world-wide anti-alcohol movement.

David

[shanreagh]

Not sure that they would be Masons. 

Perhaps the girls were dancing,  white dresses, sashes and tambourines.

Or perhaps supporting Suffragettes, the sashes?
Orange lodges
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/orange-order-australia-vintage-lodge-246447784

What about doing some research into the existence of Friendly Societies in the area at that time. 

[majm]

Here is a live link to an article (from 2001 newspaper) about the Church and its local history.  Perhaps there is an opportunity for our OP to consider contacting the newspaper -  some of the various people named in the article may still be interested too.

https://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/884451/historic-church-restoration-as-family-home/
Western Advocate, 16 June 2001.

Here is the contact us page for the newspaper  https://www.westernadvocate.com.au/contact/

Here is the Bathurst family history group https://www.bathurstfhg.asn.au/  they may well have members who can give local knowledge to date the photo, or hold other photos of the Anglican Church at Wattle Flat...

JM

[john_c_g]

In "Sunset of Gold: Sofala & Wattle Flat 1860-1914" Brian Hodge writes that Friendly Societies were important to provide community supported social services that were otherwise unavailable on the goldfields.  At p.38 he says the Oldfellows held sway in Sofala while "at Wattle Flat the Temperance and Templar Lodges were to the fore."  The Independant Order of Good Templars was established in NY State in 1852 and included women from the beginning it is said.  And here's a photo of their dress from NZ https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/31284/good-templars-around-1873 .  Are we talking the same sashes and so on here?  If so, that should help.

[john_c_g]

In the alternative, if Brian Hodge's observation (above) is correct then the other Lodge "to the fore" in Wattle Flat is the Temperance Lodge, and the sashes from the girls in one of the previous posters look quite similar to the ones in your photo.  BTW I should have said Hodge's book was a limited edition published Hill End in 1998

[shanreagh]

Oh yes how could I forget the Temperance Lodges.......my grandmother was a great Temperance stalwart here in NZ.