Good old-fashioned fun and friendly country hospitality were out in force at the Eulah Creek community’s annual vintage machinery day and campoven cook-off, held on September 21.
A date change due to weather conditions didn’t stop the dedicated Beulah Park Hall committee volunteers from showcasing an excellent weekend as locals and tourists took a step back in time, admiring the impressive display of vintage farm machinery, tractors and motorcycles.
Committee member and secretary Marsella Morris said a highlight this year was the Kids’ Corner, jampacked with games, face painting, and even horsemanship and shearing demonstrations that proved to be a firm favourite with the younger generation.
“The shearing was very popular and we had the Devonshire teas in the hall with scones – they were a big hit,” said Mrs Morris.
“And the camp oven cook off on the Saturday night was amazing.
“We had a lot of good cooks this year and some really good prizes, which all the winners were happy with.
“We then all sat down and enjoyed the cooking, having dinner together and the Manilla Vintage Machinery Group guys joined us too – some of them have been coming for 10 years.”
The family friendly event is also a celebration of the region’s agricultural heritage and the community’s history.
“The hall was built in 1939,” explained Mrs Morris, who has been doing a deep dive into the history books and reading through old articles about the connections formed at the hall over the years.
From tennis days to cricket matches – like many country halls, it’s the heartbeat of the community.
“I think we’re all trying to keep that nice friendly and inviting atmosphere at the hall going, so people know they can come along when we’re having barbecues and other things down here.
“Even though we’re only 15 kilometres to town, the country can feel isolating at times so I think it’s good to get together and it’s good to check-in with each other,” said Mrs Morris.
“We’re all very passionate about our hall and our community.
“We also want to see the hall maintained, you see some country halls go to rack and ruin – all of the money we raise from the machinery weekend and cook-off goes back into maintaining the hall.”
