THE Adelaide River Races were held last Saturday with a small crowd in attendance compared to the Adelaide Cup Races a few weeks ago. However the crowd that was in attendance enjoyed a great day of socialising and punting.
Adelaide River Race Club Vice President Jackie Rixon was still pleased with how the day unfolded even though crowd numbers were down on last year.
Adelaide River Show Society Inc is a not for profit organisation which owns the Crown Lease in Perpetuity of Lot 158, Dorat Road, a parcel of land (24 hectares) on the edge of the Adelaide River township. Over the years through the hard work of many volunteers and grants the magnificent current facilities have been developed.
The ARSS precinct, known as the show grounds, is the home of the Adelaide River Races, the Adelaide River Show, the NT Adelaide River Country Music Talent Quest, the Adelaide River Christmas Tree, the Black Tie Ball, the Darwin Quarter Horse Association Bush Camp section, the Humpty Doo Polocrosse Club and The NT ARSSUM. The turf race track is the only grass track in the NT.
The ARSS precinct also acts as the town hall of Adelaide River: most major community meetings are held in the Brett Pavilion, the fun bus comes monthly, blue light discoes, the community fireworks, community groups needing a meeting place use these facilities. During emergency situations the facilities have been used to house/feed those affected by flood and those heading south with horses in cyclone times. It is the home of the Coomalie breakfast after the ANZAC service at the Adelaide River War graves and the ANZAC exhibition which has much information on the local war history only aired at that time.
