The town’s usual population to 380 ballooned out to 3500 people for a fat weekend of triathlons, horse racing, PBR bullriding, concerts and a lot more besides.

People crammed into every motel, caravan park and camping ground space in town in what was a good-humoured event with few arrests.

Dirt n Dust Festival president Steve Malone said this was the 23^rd year of the festival bringing together the best of what outback Queensland has to offer around the centrepiece triathlon in tough conditions.

Triathletes battled 800m of the murky waters of Eastern Creek, near 30kph headwinds on the 25km cycle back to town and a 5km run in hot conditions to finish.

“I believe some of the talent at this year’s triathlon will be future Olympians and national champions,” Mr Malone said.

McKinlay Shire Council Mayor Belinda Murphy said the weekend was an exciting time for the shire.

“There are so many aspects to the event on many levels - the economic stimulus is always huge for these smaller towns especially in our shire and even the region for other towns on the Overlander’s Way,” Cr Murphy said.

“But it’s the social impact as well – bringing people together in ours and our neighbouring communities.

Cr Murphy also praised the army of volunteers at the event including increasing tourist volunteers looking for a new experience on their travels.

“You need so many people working as part of a committee and as volunteers, it’s just really healthy.”

With 366 competitors in the tri there was one for each day of a leap year and first time competitor Matt Hutchinson of Ingham leaped faster than the rest to win. Fiona Lenz of Cairns won the women’s event.

Afterwards the fun moved to the races where jockey Aaron Spradau rode Anchor Chain to victory in the Group 2 Artesian Express Race and later still to the bull ring where 19-year-old rookie Aaron Kleier from Clermont took out the PBR crown.

See our report of the senior triathlon.

Check out our Triathlon photo gallery.

And our races gallery