shareholders in the new company were Fred and his brother Ernest, who jointly held the great majority of the shares, and a number of local people. There were many ups and downs, especially during 1929, the depression. In the middle 1930s, the State Government was offering subsidies for the construction of rural lines. The first rural line along the Bucketts Road was opened on 9 September 1938. Fred Lowe designed and surveyed the line exercising his expertise in surveying which he acquired whilst working in New Zealand as a young man. In 1943 the company’s 20-year franchise ended. However it was wartime and the Mid-Coast County Council did not exercise its right to acquire the company’s assets and take over the electricity undertaking till 1 July 1946. Fred was employed by the Council as its electrical engineer. He still persisted with rural line extensions and completed the Avon Valley line taking electricity to Stratford. He remained as council electrical engineer until he retired in 1951. At a farewell function the Shire President, Cr. J.N. Channon, said, "We cannot let the opportunity pass without expressing our deep appreciation and gratitude to Mr Lowe for what he has done for Gloucester." In 1995, Gloucester Coal, originally Stratford Coal, began mining in Stratford, a small village south of Gloucester. The Stratford mine is now owned by Yancoal and is the only operating coal mine in the valley. In March 1972 the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler, VC and Lady Cutler toured the district and attended a formal Civic Reception at the Gloucester Bucketts Motel. For most of the twentieth century it boasted two cinemas in the main thoroughfare - Church Street: The Star (opposite Permewans, closed c. 1968), and the Majestic Theatre, that was built in the early 1920s. The Majestic permanently closed its doors c. 1980 and the building still stands, now redeveloped as a shopping arcade. The district's weekly newspaper is The Gloucester Advocate. Events Gloucester was the venue for the first Groovin' the Moo music festival held at the Gloucester Showground on 24 April 2005. The festival included well known musical acts such as Screaming Jets, Killing Heidi and Evermore. Although the festival has not returned to Gloucester, it has gone on to be an annual event held in regional areas across Australia. Population According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 2,390 people in Gloucester.