PHOTOS: Goombungee celebrates despite Jacaranda Day 2023 cancellation
‘Red tape’: Goombungee business owners, residents, and the Toowoomba Region were busy turning lemons into lemonade, after the sour cancellation of the town’s top event – Jacaranda Day 2023.
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Goombungee business owners, residents, and the Toowoomba Region were busy turning lemons into lemonade, after the sour cancellation of a popular event, Jacaranda Day 2023.
The announcement was made just over a week before the annual event was set to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
At the weekend, the consensus within the town was optimism, solidarity, and determination to ensure the 2024 Jacaranda Festival was bigger and better.
The event was cancelled following recent changes to state regulations, and failed submissions to the Toowoomba Regional Council.
Last week, a Rosalie Shire Historical Society spokeswoman said sadly it was impossible to carry out the extensive and expensive list of newly imposed requirements before November 4.
The town located 35km north of Toowoomba has a population of about 800 people, and the event is the town’s biggest tourist drawcard – second to the Goombungee Rodeo.
The Pioneer Arms Hotel owner Tom Gaslevich, affectionately known as Tommy by locals, said he was grateful to the many people who travelled out for the day despite the last-minute cancellation.
“It’s been difficult, but it is great to see everyone who’s come out in support,” he said.
The homegrown publican bought the establishment in late 2021 when Covid regulations began easing for the hospitality industry during the pandemic.
Mr Gaslevich said he planned on joining a committee so he could better support and advocate for his community.
“We don’t get much out here, you feel a bit forgotten,” he said.
“It’s never going to happen again.”
He said it was a loss for the town and the schoolchildren who loved and looked forward to the street parade.
“It has been a hit to business, but I was lucky because I could cancel a lot of my orders – others weren’t so fortunate,” he said.
The Antique Cow Café owner Sonia Hornery said she spent additional thousands in the lead-up to the event, especially given her paddock-to-plate ethos.
The wagyu on the plate is curated by Hornery, from the makeup of its DNA to the butcher’s table.
Hornery is a powerhouse regional Australian woman, who grew up in cattle country and was a part of pioneering new and premium beef products for Australian consumers during the 1990s alongside her late husband, Lachlan Hornery.
The mother of five bought the property, formerly known as Goombungee Antiques and Cafe n late 2021, after selling a number of old cows during a peak in the cattle market.
She said it was sad to see the event cancelled because of bureaucratic red tape, and if it continued, it would be at the detriment of small country towns.
“A lot of people said they came in protest of the cancellation,” she noted.
“The support has been amazing,” she said.
“As I see it, every day is a good day but some can be better.”
Preparation for the 2024 Goombungee Jacaranda Festival weekend has begun.
Photos below:
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