The Blackall region might be in drought but there is hope for restoration – that was the gist of an installation by local artist Lam Pitt and his wife Wilma that drew a big crowd for the second weekend of the Blackall Heartland Festival.
Called Skullduggery, it featured a collection of lacquered and painted skulls of pigs, goats, cattle, dingoes and sheep from around the central west.
Lam said he got the idea for the display travelling over and back to Longreach and seeing all the dead animals at the sides of the road.
“It’s a story about restoring the land,”he said. “It will fight back.”
The exhibition attracted nearly 130 works of art from around the eastern seaboard and highlighted the importance of community celebration in tough times.
Tourism has been hailed as one of the things that can bolster the west’s drought-affected communities and the annual Heartland Festival at Blackall has provided the perfect example of that.
Moved from its usual spot in May to October to extend the tourism shoulder, its enthusiastic committee offered a program of events that transcended any dusty moods, evidenced by excellent attendances all around.
From sheep races and colour runs to sparkling fashions on the racecourse and cowboys bucking out at a bull ride, people flocked to the Heartland Festival for a ton of fun and laughs.
It started with a photography exhibition that attracted 60, who were treated to a rendition by world champion whipcracker Nathan Griggs as well as a crackingly creative display of work.
Yaraka’s Anne-Maree Lloyd was announced as the overall winner of the Culture of the West exhibition with her Spectators at Sunset shot.
The following day over 400 people celebrated the 123rd anniversary of Jackie Howe’s world blade shearing record of 321 sheep shorn with a full day at the Blackall Woolscour, including sheep races and a Blades and Blisters challenge, mixed in with blacksmithing and wood carving demonstrations and heritage market stalls.
The aptly-named Baarack Obaama, named by Pagen Arnold, won the sheep racing while the Woodbine Warriors took out $1000 for their wool bale rolling, Spam eating, blade shearing and Irish jigging.
Blackall’s QCWA branch conducted a huge food and music fiesta to round the weekend off, featuring an Oktoberfest tent and a ukulele performance.
Blue Light billy cart racing saw 48 entries and 22 contraptions. The business house category was won by Barcoo Butchery driven by Lynette Davison, while Daniel McNamara won the open section. Riley Davison was the 7-14 years winner and Gavan Turlan collect the under 7s prize.
Well-known rural artist Christine Porter was the best in show with an entry titled Hope, when the Heartland Art Show started off the second weekend of festivities.
Blackall Cultural Association curator Boyd Johnstone said nearly 150 people flocked to the opening of the exhibition, double the numbers of previous years, and by Saturday morning, some $11,000 of art had been sold.
“We had some wonderful sponsors even in these very difficult economic times,” Boyd said. “Christine herself is a long-time supporter, having been sending her work for 20 years.”
On Saturday morning, Townsville’s Kym Westcott talked about his Paleo Cafe and the changes from being a grazier, at a breakfast, along with Olsson’s representative Dalene Devonshire.
“Our lick blocks are a necessity in droughts, and it’s why we like to give back,” she told the breakfast audience. “It’s something I’m passionate about – we provide nutrition for your cattle, then often our salt flavours that meat.
“It’s quite a circular paddock to plate.”
A spectacular high tea at the art show was followed by Blackall’s big Beef Producers race day, held on the eve of the region’s main bull sales and this year attracting a crowd of 700.
The festival’s final big day saw local bull rider Clayton “Froggy” O’Brien host a poddy and steer riding school for children, taking around 20 boys and girls through chute procedure, mindset, exercises and safety.
He went on to take out first place in the QRA bull ride with a score of 82 before another good crowd at the Blackall showgrounds.
To round out the day, over 120 people took part in a Colour Me Outback fun run.
