Recently the Southerly Busters Branch (south of Sydney to the border) of the Australian Caravan Club took a trek to the annual Drovers’ Campfire Festival at Boggabri in north west NSW.
Eleven vans and motor homes from the group made the trip which included four recently joined units. They made stopovers at Muswellbrook and Quirindi on the way up and Gunnedah, Galargambone, Parkes and Lake Wallace on the way back, staying several nights at some of these venues and taking in the local sights and really enjoying some of these exceptional country centres..
Started in 2006, the Boggabri Drovers’ Campfire Festival has become a much anticipated feature for caravanners, motor home owners and travellers along Australia’s highways and byways. The event was the brainchild of Lion Geoff Eather and developed with the support of the Boggabri Lions Club.
This year the Boggabri Lions Club, prepared a wonderful program to keep their visitors entertained during the groups’ four day stay, including also outings to a local coal mine, a long horn steer farm and a sheep shearing exhibition with the attendees all travelling in the local school bus!
There was entertainment in the evenings provided at the exhibition hall in the showground which included a Trivia Night, a hypnotism show along with local bands and entertainers on the stage each afternoon and into the night.
One of the outstanding features of the festival was how residents of all ages in the small country town combined to make this unique annual event an unqualified success. The profits from the festival is divided up amongst the local community groups.
These people operated stalls, made dampers and stews in their campfire ovens which was enjoyed by all of the occupants of the 200 plus vans and motor homes who attended.
The ‘Busters’ have other trips planned this year which include a three week journey along the Victorian side of the Murray River and into South Australia then returning on the NSW in August – September.
There are also local get-togethers along the south coast planned for the coming months with three days at Callala RSL Club during Melbourne Cup Day then finalising the year with a four day Christmas event at Shoalhaven Heads.
Anyone interested in joining the group can contact the secretary at southerlybusters@australiancaravanclub.com.au or ring him on 0428571291
