Wilma Flannery first encountered square dancing as a teenager in the mid-1950s in Lismore, New South Wales. Her workmates had formed a small social group that danced to records, and Wilma joined in with enthusiasm. Although the group disbanded after two years, the joy of square dancing stayed with her and decades later, it would return to shape the rest of her life.

In 1981, Wilma rediscovered square dancing through a small group in Casino, NSW, who danced to tapes.
This time, she brought her children along, sharing the experience across generations.
Soon after, the club welcomed a Caller from Sydney, and the dancing moved from recordings to live calling, sparking Wilma’s own interest in the art.

By 1982, Wilma was dabbling in calling herself. In May 1983, she founded the Willi-Whirlers Square Dance Club in Casino.
Nearly a decade later, following the success of the 1992 NSW State Convention (which she convened), Wilma launched the Lismore Larrikins, A club born from the surge of local interest she helped inspire.
One of her fondest memories was seeing a queue of over 100 eager beginners waiting to enter the hall after that convention, and the joy of teaching them.

Wilma’s dynamic personality and unwavering commitment to others meant she rarely uttered the words “I can’t do that.” She supported square dance events across NSW and southern Queensland, and played a key role in promoting and managing many of the state’s annual gatherings.

Her leadership extended nationally. Wilma was a member of the Australian Callers Federation from 1987 until her passing in 2019, serving on the Board from 1997 to 2006.
She was elected Chairman in 2001 and 2002, and Vice Chairman from 2003 to 2006, becoming the first woman to hold either position.
True to her convictions, she insisted on being called “Chairman,” not “Chairperson” or “Chairwoman.”

From 2006 onward, Wilma also served as Country Vice President of the NSW Square Dance Society and convened two NSW State Conventions. One in Lismore and the other in Coffs Harbour.

Wilma was deeply committed to caller education. Beginning in 1985, she organised annual Callers’ Schools in Casino, which grew from two- and three-day sessions into five-day events due to popular demand.

Internationally, she was invited as Feature Caller for square dance festivals in Auckland and Tauranga, New Zealand, in 2002, 2004, and 2006.
Among the milestones Wilma cherished most:
• Seeing her Casino club celebrate 21 and then 25 years of dancing
• Receiving the ACF Silver Microphone Award for 25 years of calling
• Being invited as Feature Caller for major New Zealand events
• Calling at Australian National and NSW State Conventions
• Having the privilege of calling for wonderful dancers over 37 years

Wilma called from Basic to Plus levels and was a skilled contra prompter. Her flair for “fun stuff” made party nights unforgettable, whether it was “Nine Pin” or dancers scrambling to change sets.

One crowd Favorite was her playful performance of “Mr. Bass Man,” where she’d mime the sound effects with a dead microphone while the record played, leaving dancers laughing and mesmerised.

She once said:
“Square Dancing has presented me with the unique opportunity to meet such a wonderful number of people from various places.”
“Keep Square Dancing and never lose your smile. God bless you all and thank you all for being such wonderful people.”
Wilma Flannery’s legacy lives on in the joy she sparked, the dancers she inspired, and the community she helped build, step by step, call by call.