Gympie debutante ball back for 2021

300 people and more than 30 young men and women have marked the return of the region’s traditional debutante ball following last year’s cancellation

It was a night of glamour and tradition at the Cooloola Debutante Ball. Photos: contributed

Dazzling dresses, dapper tuxedos and delightful dances.

They may sound like a distant dream of a time gone by, but not in Gympie where they were the story of the night at the Pavilion as the Cooloola Debutante Ball made a recent stunning return following last year’s Covid-caused cancellations.

Emma Duffey, Hannah Johnson, and Ivanna Ward were among more than a dozen young women from across the region to make their debuts in June; an event one guest estimated drew an almost 300-strong crowd.

It was a triumphant return to form for a traditional celebration that has come under fire from some progressive corners owing to its centuries-old roots.

The tradition dates back to the 1600s, originating in the practice of presenting young noble women to the royal court for the first time.

Emma Duffey and Zac Brauer. Photo: contributed

While interest across the country in the balls started to wane early in the 2010s, the balls have been undergoing a resurgence in regional parts of Queensland in the past few years.

Gympie, however, has been more immune to this decline, where it instead took a global, once-in-a-century pandemic to put the brakes on tradition, though there are less debutante balls in the region than there were even a few years ago.

The joy of its return was not lost on the family and friends of those in the spotlight.

And it is no longer just about the girls.

Liam and Zac Brauer. Photos: contributed.

Judy Myers-Brauer, whose two sons Liam and Zac partnered with debutantes this year, “enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and learn how to dance”.

“I was surprised to see how keen the young people were to dance all evening, one ballroom dance after the next,” she said.

“As parents, we couldn‘t be more proud.”

Deb Brown said the ball was a wonderful opportunity for the region’s youth who, apart from their school formal, have few chances to attend such events.

“It’s a chance for these younger generation who have put so much time and effort into learning … they don’t generally have a lot of formal events.”

Originally published as Gympie debutante ball back for 2021