Rain may have come too late for organisers of the Harry Redford Cattle Drive to swing into gear and revive the iconic droving experience for 2020 but bush cooks will get a chance to show their skills at a Drive reunion.
The tourist concept, begun in the Aramac region in 2002, last ran in 2014, thanks to ongoing drought and the lack of feed on stock routes making it too difficult to satisfy animal welfare needs.
Related: Ongoing drought cans cattle drive
Rather than sit on their hands for another year, the organisers had begun planning a cattle drive reunion, inviting all past tourist drovers, and they say this is definitely going ahead.
"We decided to have the reunion before it rained, to keep the cattle drive in everyone's minds," Drive president Gary Peoples said.
Since January, Aramac has recorded 300mm but Mr Peoples said people had been so flat out battling drought that they needed the down time that rain would give them, before planning for the future.
"We'll see what the season does before we start committing to next year," he said.
They'll have their hands full with a packed program for the May 22-23 reunion, which incorporates a $1000 camp cookout competition, a Rooftop Express 'Heroes of the Outback' show, a horsemanship school, and a walk down memory lane.
Every drover thinks they have the best recipe for cooking over the campfire, and this year's competition will be the place to put the claims to the test.
Participants in the Camp Cookout Competition will be able to sell their food to the crowd while The Rooftop Express Show displays its horsemanship at the Aramac Showgrounds.
Cooks will be required to prepare their entries in five sections - best curry or stew, best roast, best damper, dessert, and signature dish - over a campfire and be able to produce enough tucker for at least 20 people.
Independent judges will have the coveted job of tasting each dish and declaring the winner.
Mr Peoples said it was hard to tell how many "drovers" might return at this stage but the concept had been very well received.
Enthusiastic racing crowds from Alpha and Barcaldine have promised to patronise Saturday's event, he said.
"It's going to be a great opportunity to reminisce with other past participants, spin a yarn about the memories of Harry Redford Cattle Drives, and celebrate the outback generally."