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Volunteer snapshot: Jeff Close and Bente Moller
Distance is no object to this pair of volunteers |
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Jeff
Close and Bente Moller may live 1000 kilometres from Winton, but
distance is no object when it comes to the Outback Festival.
Now
residents at Hampton, near Toowoomba, Jeff and Bente never miss a
Festival. In fact, they even round up a crowd of family and friends to
take along and work as volunteers. |
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Jeff
and Bente have a special connection with Winton. It was here that they
first met after completing their teachers college training in the
1970s. They were both posted to one of their "first choice" towns,
Winton, as high school teachers. They left the area in 1982 but have
continued to attend the Festival, along with some or all of their five
children. Jeff and Bente have also remained long-distance members of
the Festival's organising committee.
"Being a volunteer in an event such as the Outback Festival is very rewarding, in so many ways," they said.
"We
get so much enjoyment out of meeting people, hearing their stories,
seeing the great atmosphere the Festival creates, and of course,
catching up with old friends. Our volunteer work allows us to enjoy
Winton even more".
Volunteers are always welcome at the Outback
Festival. For more information about how you can be involved, please
contact Robyn Stevens on 0429 806 140 or email
outbackfestival@bigpond.com |
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Can he pull an 80 tonne road train? See for yourself.
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Australia's Strongest Man, Derek Boyer, is returning to the Outback Festival, and you can see him make history, as he prepares to set a new Guinness World Record.
At the festival, Derek will attempt to pull a road train, comprising a
prime mover and four trailers. The road train will measure more than 70
metres and weigh around 80 tonnes. The current record stands at 2.89 metres.
Based on past performances, Derek has a good chance of succeeding - he has not been beaten in any strength event in Australia since 1997! |
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Derek and two other top-ranked strength athletes will also be battling it out in a series of other strength events, which are sure to amaze.
This is the third Outback Festival Derek has attended, and he says he can't wait to get back to Winton.
"I have travelled all around the world, and I have never seen anything as unique as this festival" he said.
"If you want to see something which truly epitomises Australian culture, this festival is it."
And if you're feeling particularly brave, why not challenge Australia's Strongest Man to an arm wrestle while you're there!
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The man behind our famous dunny doors.
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| As a popular artist with his own art gallery at Mount Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland, Peter J Hill has many demands on his time "but one event he won't miss is the Outback Festival. Peter has been attending the festival since 1993, and says he loves every aspect of it.
"An atmosphere of fun pervades the Outback Festival. I love bush people, and appreciate their down-to-earth approach to life", he says. "The festival is well organised, and it's always a joy to be a part of this unique celebration." |
Known around Australia and internationally for his wonderful depictions of outback life, Peter's love affair with the bush began as a child and young adult growing up in Scone, Broken Hill and Tibooburra.
Before becoming a full-time artist, Peter held a range of jobs including shearing, shooting buffalos, grave-digging and running a caravan dealership in country Victoria.
Each year Peter presents an art exhibition at the Outback Festival. In 2009, our festival is one of only two events Peter will be exhibiting at, so we are very lucky to have him! His exhibition opens on Tuesday 22 September and runs throughout the festival.
As part of the Outback Festival, Peter also donates a "dunny" (toilet) door painting which is auctioned at the festival to raise money for charity. |
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For
the first time ever, the streets of Winton will echo to the sounds of
Caribbean steel drums, with free drumming workshops open to all ages
being held each day of the Outback Festival.
Members of the Caribbean steel drum band, The Jahbutu Calypso Band, will run the workshops funded by Festivals Australia, teaching participants how to play a popular tune in 3-4 hours.
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This band has toured nationally and internationally for many
years, creating a vibrant, colourful and exciting blend of dance music
direct from the streets of Carnival.
After mastering the drums, workshop participants will have the chance to strut their stuff in public, playing with Jahbutu as part of the Outback Festival's Golden Casket Grand Parade Spectacular, on Saturday 26 September.
Steel drums produce a unique, exuberant sound. Each drum's notes differ, depending on the height of the drum, and there is no-one better to learn from than band members Alvin, Laurence and Trick.
Before emigrating to Australia, Alvin was a member of Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Band, which was responsible for introducing the Australian public to the magic of the steel drums. Laurence recently opened for UK band UB40, while Trick toured with Roberta Flack for many years.
You can also catch The Jahbutu Calypso Band performing live throughout the festival. For more information, or to listen to Jahbutu, visit www.alvin.net.au
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Truck
drivers from across Australia will converge on Winton in September, for
the 4th Truckies Reunion, being held in conjunction with the Outback
Festival.
Truckies and their families will be making the trek to Winton with
their heritage trucks and machinery, with many Heritage Trucking
Associations from across Australia represented at the event. |
The reunion features five days of trucking events, including a human truck pull with mens and ladies teams, a truck and ute muster, and a truck backing competition, where a road train has to be backed in a straight line inside a set course.
There will be prizes on offer for the driver travelling the furthest distance for the reunion, and the oldest working truckie attending.
Australia's Strongest Man, Derek Boyer, will also be performing a strongman challenge which he hopes will put him in the Guinness Book of Records (see Derek's story in this edition).
Everyone will take to the dance floor on Thursday 24 September, for the Ball Bearing Drover's Concert, featuring Australian country music artist, Travis Sinclair. The support act is "On the Road Again" with Willie and Roy, portraying the lives and music of Willie Nelson and Roy Orbison. This musical memoir is filled with humour, sadness, incredible true stories and some unforgettable songs.
 Another reunion drawcard will be the display of a unique vehicle, an 1899 Winton Phaeton, one of only three in the world.
The Phaeton was used to deliver mail between the towns of Isisford and Ilfracombe, and is still in immaculate working condition. It will be on show at Winton's Diamantina Heritage Truck and Machinery Museum, along with working heritage trucks, tractors, machinery, photographs and memorabilia.
The Phaeton is owned by heritage truck collector, John Freeman of Toowoomba, and will remain in Winton following the reunion, to become a show piece at the museum. |
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Festival Events
Quilton Australian Dunny Derby
RTA/Bridgestone Outback Iron Man
Central Motors / Grants Transport Outback Iron Woman
Coca Cola Outback Iron Kid
Truck and Ute Muster
World Crayfish Derby Race Meeting
Spectacular Music Concerts
Kidzone Festival
Peter J Hill Art Exhibitions
Evert Opals Masters of the Outback
4th Truckies Reunion
Bush Poets Breakfasts
Outback Whipcracking Championships
and much more...
Major Sponsors
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