Great Australian Vanilla Slice festival battle turns unsavoury

TOWNS in Victoria’s northwest are embroiled in an increasingly bitter row over a vanilla slice festival made famous by Jeff Kennett.

Brad Sharp, of Sharp’s Bakery in Birchip, a regular winner at the Great Australian Vanilla Slice festival.

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A STICKY tug of war is dividing towns in Victoria’s northwest competing over a vanilla slice.

Jeff Kennett acted as a judge at the festival until 2005.

An increasingly bitter row has broken out over the custard-filled pastry made famous by then Premier Jeff Kennett during a visit to the Ouyen bakery in the late 1990s.

After 18 years of hosting the annual Great Australian Vanilla Slice festival, which attracted 3000 people at its height, Ouyen handed the event to Merbein in 2011.

Now, with its volunteers also ready to pass on the baton, Merbein has handed the festival over to Birchip — but Ouyen has protested, saying it wasn’t Merbein’s festival to give.

Ouyen Inc chairman Scott Anderson claims Ouyen still owns the name of the festival and it had allowed Merbein to host the festival only because it was in the same municipality.

He wants to keep the festival within the region.

Merbein Vanilla Slice Inc chair Bernadette Wells said the volunteers needed a rest after attracting 50,000 people to its five annual festivals.

Brad Sharp and Nick Noonan, of Sharp’s Bakery, with the famous Mallee Bull and their slice of fame. Picture: Greg Scullin

Mrs Wells said Birchip had a strong vanilla slice pedigree through regular winner Kevin Sharp, of Sharp’s Bakery in Birchip.

She said Birchip community leaders “are very excited and have jumped at the opportunity to host the event from 2017”.

Mr Sharp said Birchip was looking forward to hosting the event.

“We are a bit shocked Ouyen is now saying Merbein couldn’t give it to us but that’s a matter for them.”

Mr Sharp, a former Merbein resident and baker, sold 2000 vanilla slices at his Birchip bakery in 1999.

After festival successes, the bakery now sells more than 32,000 each year.

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