Camooweal’s place in history as the colourful droving centre for the largest cattle drives the world has ever seen and its annual celebration that brings the public and drovers together from all over the country was recognised by the Mount Isa City Council this week.
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While in Camooweal for one of the twice-yearly council meetings scheduled for the town, Mount Isa City Council Mayor Tony McGrady congratulated Drovers Camp administrator Ellen Finlay on the success of this year’s festival.
Held at the end of August and featuring music by Tania Kernaghan, bronco branding and a poet’s breakfast, the festival raised somewhere between $20,000 and $25,000, all of which goes into the running costs for the volunteer-driven organisation. Ellen told councillors it had once again received a lot of positive comment from attendees, which included 51 drovers.
Travelling from as far away as South Australia and Western Australia, they couldn’t wait to try out their latest tall stories on each other and the many tourists sharing the celebration of drovers and their families.
The weekend also offers a street parade, a hilarious charity race, camp oven meals and Camooweal’s annual race meeting.
While huge transports and road-trains carrying millions of dollars worth of livestock and general goods are the preferred mode of transport these days, Cr McGrady told Ellen she and her committee were keeping the history of drovers and pioneers alive and well.
Council donated $8000 to the running of the festival this year.
“For such a small committee, the work you are doing is greatly appreciated,” Cr McGrady said.
Ellen said the festival and the Drovers Camp itself offered a lot for the whole region.
“The festival brings in a lot of money for our small community,” she said. “Accommodation is always booked out, and people are always spending money on food and fuel.”
Their biggest day this year saw 82 people go through the national shrine, a number which Ellen said was the most they had ever catered for.
The tourist attraction started in 1997 and the 2016 festival will incorporate 20th anniversary celebrations, with a meeting to be held on Sunday to begin planning.
“We’re volunteer-driven, so it will be a big plus for us to get to 20 years,” Ellen said.
Her committee is keen to see the festival and facilities at the Drovers Camp growing gradually.
“Facilities to cater for the public influx at the festival would be good,” Ellen explained.
