Cobb and Co festival is coming back, bigger than ever
Organisers have tripled the size of the historic event and tickets have gone on sale for a number of local activities.
Roma
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THE MARANOA'S famous Cobb and Co anniversary celebrations are billed to be the largest yet when wagons, horses, and even bullocks roll in to Surat this year.
The formerly small celebration will be turned in to a large festival, spread across nine days from August 17-25 - triple its usual duration.
Festivities are planned for Surat, Yuleba, Roma and Injune, intended as a way for the Maranoa to celebrate the history of Cobb and Co.
"Throughout Australia, almost every town has a Cobb and Co story,” festival organiser Paul Masson said.
"I can remember my grandparents, who owned the Cobb and Co store in Yuleba, and even after they closed down, there were connections right through our region.
"Because of that, we wanted to go across the whole of the Maranoa and involve the whole area, by expanding the traditional celebrations in to a festival.”
In a series of festival firsts, a bullock team will visit towns around the region, locals and visitors will come together for a long table dinner, popular country musician Tania Kerneghan will play live in concert, and Yuleba will become a theatre set for a night, hosting a live action Drama in the Street.
The festival will culminate in the re-enactment of the final Cobb and Co journey, which ran from Surat to Yuleba on August 14, 1924.
Tickets for each of the events went on sale on Friday and interest is already being piqued, according to the organiser.
"We have had a great response for bookings already,” Mr Masson said.
"Tickets went on sale late last week and are selling well, which is good to see.”
This year's festival is spearheaded by the Surat and District Development Association, and the Yuleba Development Group, supported by Maranoa Regional Council, Tourism and Events Queensland, and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
Tickets are available for purchase online at cobbandcofestival.com.au
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