Visitors flock to region for return to ‘normal’ Labour Day Long weekend

LABOUR Day long weekend 2022 saw a return to “virtually normal” with hundreds of visitors flocking to the Casterton district, for the re-launch of popular local events.

After a two-year hiatus, Sandford’s Bush Music Festival saw more than 170 camp sites packed out for the weekend and internet sales “through the roof”, as visitors from four states converged on the town for the increasingly popular weekend of music, comedy and forgotten bush-crafts.

“Our internet sales were up around $10,000 on the last one,” festival co-ordinator, Gary ‘Gazza’ Williams said.

“I was actually getting a bit nervous … we have early bird sales one, two and three and they started off really slow, then in February, it just took off, through the roof,” he said.

“And we still had people just rocking up, buying tickets at the gate.”

Not satisfied with the return to ‘normal’, Covid-19 did rear its ugly head just 24 hours out from the festival’s opening night, but in true country-community-style, a saviour was not far away.

“We got the phone call from (the Royal High Jinx) on Thursday to say that they’d come down with Covid, but as it happens, the Bushwackers are mates and they were down at the Port Fairy festival,” Gazza said.

“They came up to help us out of a spot and fill that main spot on Saturday night, they had a full schedule at Port Fairy, finished that gig at two o’clock Saturday afternoon, came and played for us on Saturday night, stayed at the motel then headed back for another gig about midday on the Sunday.”

Casterton Polocrosse Club welcomed 24 teams from South Australia and Victoria to compete in its annual major tournament, with two local teams and around a dozen local players, taking out trophies in their respective grades.

The club’s president, Justin Carlin said organisers were excited to see not only polocrosse competitors and families at the grounds, but many other residents who attended to cheer on the local teams.

“We had a few people who stayed on for dinner and the band on Saturday night and then quite a good crowd on the sidelines for the finals on Sunday, quite a few families who brought the kids down for a look,” he said.

It was a similar story at Harrow, with excitement for the much-anticipated return of the Johnny Mullagh Championship weekend, heightened with the appearance of former Australian Test captain, Graham Yallop, who donned the whites and took to the field for the memorial game.

Harrow Discovery Centre’s Josie Sangster said the usually sleepy little hamlet enjoyed “unprecedented” bookings for its local campground, at the weekend.

“The caravan park was absolutely chockers, even out in the paddocks, up around the corners, it was just fantastic to see,” she said.

“We don’t charge at the gate for entry anymore, so we don’t have an official count of guest attendance, but the numbers were definitely up – for players, for spectators, it was just incredible.”

Ms Sangster the increasing awareness of the Indigenous First XI, with the launch of the Johnny Mullagh Medal, presented in 2021 to Indigenous cricketer Scott Boland and support from significant figures like Yallop, would ensure the event would continue to grow.

Donning the whites to take part in Sunday’s Mullagh Championship, Ms Sangster said the former Test captain was as entertaining off the field, as on and had vowed to return for more in 2023.

“Graham Yallop and his mate, Alan Chadwick, were just brilliant, just hilarious and what they don’t know and who they don’t know in cricket, is not worth knowing,” she said.

“They’ve told us they’re coming back next year and bringing more of their mates, so we’re going to be bigger and even better in 2023.”

Casterton Business Development Association President, Owen Stephens, congratulated all of the local businesses and organisations who had contributed to the weekend’s festivities, which had attracted a huge number of visitors and tourist dollars, to the region.

“Everyone, from the volunteers who manned the gates or sold tickets for these events, to the presidents, chairmen and overseers, must be congratulated on what has been an amazing re-launch of so many popular events and a welcome boost for the local economy,” Mr Stephens said.

“It’s also terrific to know that all of these organisations not only brought visitors to our community but used their local resources to cater for these events – everything from food and beverages, to technical services and equipment.

“Congratulations also to the local businesses who stepped up, as always, to provide terrific services to the visitors who packed our local accommodation venues, including the caravan park and Ess Lagoon campsites.

“It was so pleasing to see Henty Street absolutely packed on Friday and Saturday morning, with plenty of comments coming in from people who had difficulty getting a parking space!”

Wando Vale’s annual working dog trials rounded-out the big weekend of events, with the novice classes starting on Sunday and the open still running at time of going to print – full details in next week’s edition.