Bundy club cooks up storm at Christmas in July camping trip

“You would have thought sheep stations were up for grabs, but alas, it was only some 4WDing merchandise.”

Petrina Pashley preparing her Caramel Cheesecake.

THE annual Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club's Camp Cooking Competition and Christmas in July weekend was held at the club's camping grounds at a private property on the banks of Kolan River, about an hour North of Bundaberg.

What started as a camp oven cooking competition back in 2001 has evolved into an any style of camp cooking.

Over the years meals have been cooked by various means; hay boxes, bell ovens, fry pans, caravan ovens, thermo cookers and the trusty camp oven have been used to serve up some quality meals, and some not so good and would be best forgotten, but that's camp cooking for you.

 

Brad Newth, Terry Bielenberg and Rod Cleary setting up the camp trailer.

 

Rules for the competition were that the meal had to be prepared and cooked at the camp. Mains and Desserts were able to be presented to the group for judging.

Our feast included some dishes with not so run of the mill names, and crowd favourites to make the judging even more interesting.

Dishes included Kathy's chicken stir fry and rice, two cows, beef and booze, Brad's fried chicken, chicken carbonara, chicken corn bacon chowder, braised beef shiraz, rocket Rod's rissoles, barbecue pulled pork, nachos and damper and desserts such as caramel cheesecake, golden syrup steamed pudding, strawberries a la cointreau and crème and passionfruit custard slice.

 

Petrina Pashley preparing her Caramel Cheesecake.

 

The variety would put some top-class restaurants to shame and all were in the running.

All meals were served to members in attendance a ballet taken.

After much sampling of the dishes the winning offering was Jan Van Wyk's oxtail stew, which sat over the smouldering charcoal embers in a potjie, a South African three leg cast iron pot, all day.

 

Jan's special pot.

 

You would have thought sheep stations were up for grabs, but alas, it was only some 4WDing merchandise.

For Jan's effort as overall winner his name will adorn the perpetual trophy that has been handed down since the competition's inception.

Not all weekend was spent around the fire feasting.

 

Peter and Veronica Kirby tending to their meal.

 

Setting up our firefighting and wood trailer and adding some finishing touches to the campground filled in the weekend, with a game of trivia on the agenda before the cooking started, with plenty of discussion on some of the answers.

Members joined in with the Christmas in July theme and decorated the campsites and themselves to get into the spirit.

Trips to these special, isolated, spots are one of the benefits of being a member of our club. Not to mention the fun and varied activities we participate in.

To find out more on the Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club and activities we have on, contact us via Email at [e-mail], on the net at bundaberg4wdclub.com or catch us on Facebook or Instagram.

Power cuts homes, but no rain damage

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