by Dylan Stone
Following the success of the Wilcannia markets and the launch of the Heritage Trail app, Wilcannia notched up another successful day and evening with their Easter Yothu Yurri Community Event which proved a huge success across the community.
Around 130 people registered to compete in the fishing competition across the age groups and in the adult division, Dennis Roots won catch of the day, and biggest carp, while Jenny Grose won most fish caught.
In the 11-17 years category, Kathalaka Whyman won catch of the day, Kylan Evans won the biggest carp and Eileen Newman won most fish caught.
For the under 10-years-old category, Naysha Hunter won catch of the day, while Kane Newman took the biggest carp, and most fish caught.
The 9pm fireworks display was enjoyed by a large crowd at Bourke Oval, said community member Rebecca Hatch.
“People have been telling me that the fireworks were the best we’ve had because they went longer, were louder, and went high into the sky.”
She also said that the kids raffle – the winner of which was awarded the prize of setting off the timer bombs to start the fireworks – was also very popular.
On Easter Saturday, Tarelle Jones, Amelia Whyman, Owen Whyman Jnr, Olivia Whyman, and Lashara Jones won the raft race competition, which was a huge success.
Around 65 people later went to the fancy dress ball, which finished up just after midnight and was incident free. During the ball, the Best Dressed Cowgirl award was presented to Darlo Williams, and the Best Dressed Cowboy was Reginald Sheppard.
After two days of community events on Friday and Saturday, the community had a “rest day” on Easter Sunday, but on Monday, “there was a cook-up of the leftover food for those who went golfing, so now there’s plans for golf to be included in next year’s community event,” Ms Hatch said.
Owen Whyman, who helped organise the community event, extended a thank-you to all the people who donated to the event, and expressed his appreciation to those groups and individuals who took part because without their help it wouldn’t have been possible to hold such a successful event.
Mr Whyman thanked the Wilcannia Pharmacy, David Payne Constructions, Thyla Pty Ltd, West Darling Arts, Jeanna Maher from Riverside Traders, PYMT Luke Scibe, Sarah Donnelly, the State Land Council, the Wilcannia Golf Club, Jim Sammon, the Central Darling Shire Council, the Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly, the Wilcannia Women and Children Safehouse, the Wilcannia Youth Foundation, and Aboriginal Affairs, for their support of the event.
Mr Whyman also thanks volunteers Daverick and Cristal Lawson, Natalie Andrews, Nadia Mills, Imogen Whyman, Rebecca Hatch, Kim and Charles Vo, (and the) Barkindji Men’s Dance and Cultural Group Inc.
“We will certainly plan a bigger event for next year,” Mr Whyman said.
With such a strong level of community support for this years’ event, Mr Whyman is very confident that an annual event is now achievable for Wilcannia, “and we’re going to make that happen.”
