Tasmania gears up for excitement of the Melbourne Cup

TASMANIAN milliner Susan McArthur will be at Flemington Racecourse today to compete in the invitation-only Crown Oaks Millinery Award.

Burnie milliner Susan McArthur wears her hat that will be modelled by Jess Tyson in the Crown Oaks Millinery Award at Flemington. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

TASMANIAN milliner Susan McArthur will be at Flemington Racecourse today to compete in the invitation-only Crown Oaks Millinery Award as the nation embraces all things equine and fashion in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup tomorrow.

It is the sixth time the Burnie-based milliner has been invited to compete in the competition.

Mrs McArthur has made the finals three times and the grand final once.

“I hope this is finally my year,” she said as she modelled her entry, a green parasisal straw hat with silver jaw wire.

Today it will be modelled by Jess Tyson, of Launceston.

“This hat is a bit more architectural in design than those entered in other years,” Mrs McArthur said.

“The brim is back and that is a good thing.”

Mrs McArthur, who is known for always wearing a hat as she drives her cream Mercedes about town and using feathers collected from roadkill in her designs, has seen a lot of trends come and go in the 26 years she has been designing and making headwear.

“The trends are always changing but ultimately a good hat is a good hat,” she said.

“I made four hats for Tasmanians attending the Melbourne Cup this year and I also supply Launceston boutique Sharee Marshall.”

Tasmanians not watching the race trackside can chose from a variety of local events, including the long-running traditional Cup lunch at Wrest Point Hotel Casino and a race meeting at Elwick Racecourse.

The Rotary Club of Sorell will hold its inaugural Melbourne Cup Day Event at the Sorell RSL Club, and the champagne glasses will be clinking at The Brick Factory and Cambridge’s Frogmore Creek winery.

There will also be frocks and frivolity at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

In Launceston, the Country Club Tasmania will hold its annual Melbourne Cup lunch, and in Burnie the fascinators will be flaunted at a fundraiser event at Mecca Restaurant.

Tomorrow’s forecast for Melbourne is a partly cloudy 18C with the chance of showers late in the afternoon. Conditions will be similar in Hobart with a forecast top of 16C, cloudy conditions and a 60 per cent chance of late showers.

Originally published as Tasmania gears up for excitement of the Melbourne Cup