Special Events
The Coonalpyn Township is one of a few small towns dotted along Dukes Highway A8 on the way to Adelaide, with a population about 815 people. The Show started in the early 1940's to showcase the local produce and is the only show remaining in the Coorong District, people attend the show from afar such as Adelaide, Mt Gambier and other towns to visit a community run Country Show and Coonalpyn celebrating its 80th with classic sections including Jams & Preserves, Art & Craft, Knitting, Flowers/dress designed by using plants and flowers etc. There were so many activities in the large showgrounds such as horse events, a small train for children and numerous other activities. Throughout the day a Scottish band and popular music band played music. The weather held out and I was located in a pavilion; many of the children I sketched live in the nearby farms and told me this year was a particularly good crop session. Community groups such as the Lions Club have their sausage sizzle, hamburgers, donuts & chips to tempt the crowds and a Skin cancer check van.
I left Swan Hill then off to Donald Show on Sat 11th Oct. The regional roads were very poor; but the scenery with recent rains (wheat and canola crops) were a wonderful sight especially for the farmers that hopefully after the rain will bring a bumper harvest for them. The Donald show showcases talent of the area and old fashion country fun with loads of Kids activities and take home prizes. Much on offer at the show included horse events, pavilion products competitions, rides, and fireworks display on Friday night and much more. I was located in one of the Kids Zone area at a pavilion and children enjoyed their cartoon portraits to take home. I also visited the Kookas Biscuit Factory at Donald, Australian made and owned
Traveling from South coast NSW to Swan Hill via Gundagai was beautiful especially seeing the green hills this time of the year. Although a lot of people mentioned the dams were low and they needed follow-up rain. The Swan Hill 2 day show was packed full of country show features including rides and a Kids Zone where children and adults enjoyed their cartoon portraits to take home, a keepsake of the show day. The weather was a bit wild and it was a great to be located out of the winds and especially on Saturday a hot day. View advertising as follows: https://www.swanhillshow.com.au/events , https://theguardian.com.au/news/2025/10/04/free-kids-space-at-show/ , https://www.instagram.com/p/DOqN2DrimZE/ ,
To commemorate Henry Lawson, Grenfell hosts the annual Henry Lawson Festival June long weekend. Grenfell is situated in the Weddin Shire in central New South Wales, and is near Canberra, Dubbo, Bathurst and Wagga (approximately 2 hours from each town). Grenfell has maintained its character of historic buildings throughout the town. During the long weekend I sketched mainly children that enjoyed the festival and their cartoon portraits to take home.
Candelo is a beautiful location located not far from Bega NSW. The weather was lovely on this day and, some of the displays were historic cars, horse events, pavilion display that had many local arts and craft to view also a Kids Zone section with a lot of activities for children to explore, many had a cartoon portrait to take home.
A rough start to the day with the weather raining but it soon cleared. Down by the Wimmera River at the east side of the showgrounds that was gifted by the May family in 1915, these buildings of historical significance and maintained. I was located in one of these buildings where shearing competition were held throughout the day as well as judging of goats and sheep, there was numerous activities for the families located at the showgrounds.
