Eungella Ancient Arts and Crafts Fayre to feature sword-wielding vikings
A rainforest-side town will transform into a Vikings battleground for a medieval-inspired event with activities for the whole family to enjoy. What you need to know.
Mackay
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A usually tranquil rainforest town will transform into a battleground for sword-wielding vikings in a first-of-its-kind medieval-inspired fayre.
Eungella Community Development Association president Beryl Turner said The Mercenaries of Western Europe Mackay group would perform historical re-enactments.
“(They) are a living history Viking group that strives to present authentic lifestyle, costume, fighting and feasting,” Dr Turner said, adding members would also cook, basket weave and rune cast to demonstrate camp life.
Dr Turner said the inaugural Eungella Ancient Arts and Crafts Fayre was also a chance for the region’s artists to host workshops with the Eungella Men’s Shed, equipped with a forge, showcasing blacksmithing.
“And, the Widi people will be in attendance to share their cultural connections to Eungella through traditional dancing, music, artwork and ancient artefacts,” she said.
“(Visitors) will also get the opportunity to witness and participate in the cultural activity of ‘Kapp Murri’, an ancient Torres Strait Island method of cooking in the ground.
“Attendees will be invited to assist in the preparations and sample the food.”
And in homage to the mountaintop community’s pioneering timber industry days, there will be woodchopping and adze presentations.
Dr Turner said adzes were used to chip bark off logs to prevent white ants or rot in fence posts and the overhead, scalloped beams commonly seen in Europe.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said the two-day event would also feature market stalls and other activities including spinning, bead making and natural dyeing.
“This event will provide visitors with the rare opportunity to experience what it was like to live like our ancestors did more than 1000 years ago,” Cr Williamson said.
“It will certainly be a great history lesson and will give residents a better understanding and appreciation of just how far we have come as a society.”
Councillor Justin Englert said the fayre, which he hoped would become an annual attraction, tapped into the battleaxe subculture and was a potential drawcard for re-enactment enthusiasts across the world.
Cr Englert said the tremendous opportunity added to a growing list of tourism lures including the Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike Trail and calls for a Eumundi-style artists’ market and a return of the Netherdale train line.
Eungella Chalet manager Tess Ford said business had been fantastic with Covid-19 driving an inward tourism market with many would-be plane-hoppers instead choosing to visit regional places “off the beaten track”.
“Queenslanders are on the move,” Ms Ford said.
Entry to the fayre, which runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, October 9 and from 9am to 3pm on Sunday, October 10 at the Eungella Hub along North St, is a gold coin donation.
There are food and drinks available including a bar as well as live music and children’s activities.
This story was thanks to the My Town series, a Daily Mercury and Mackay Regional Council initiative.
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