The local people are mad about football! Aussie rules of course. From the day we started at Redgum Store, the customers constantly asked us if we were going to host a footy carnival. It had been many years since footy carnival at Redgum, so succumbing to pressure we agreed and had just 2 weeks to plan/prepare and staff this crazy event.

It is a rotating gathering that occurs at this time it each. Families travel from communities far and wide, moving from carnival to carnival held at different communities. Bascially, it's a 3-5 day football playoff to grand final by day, then music, cowboy/girl competition and ute comps by night. Over a period of weeks, moving on from one community to another, each an endless party of footy, competition, music and dance. Each carnival is organised by local groups, ours by the Petrick family. Our role is simply to fully stock the store, open all hours and put up prize money for the footy and softball grand finals and the cowboy/cowgirl and ute competitions.

These footy players are tough - there's no carefully manicured lawns in winter time out here on these ovals, just hot, hard red dirt and dust! The play hard and party hard (all grog free events) and just love it - as did we, no matter how exhausted from the mania of serving the hoards of hungry customers for long long hours, the logistics alone!

But this was an event I will never forget. Such a privelidge to share in this gathering from communities far and wide, all getting together to have such a great time. Just fabulous.

DAY TIME FUN AND GAMES

NIGHT TIME EVENTS

The opportunity to watch the kids dance was such a treat. Supported by the local aboriginal bands playing and based on ceremonial dance, they run into the middle, offer a rhythmic wiggle and jiggle and run out again. So much fun and talented moves or what? :)