Pancakes, anyone? Snappily attired chefs Kerry Dunn, Janet Powne, Deanna Citiolin and Kristine Vaulch gave the Pancake Stand a special style at this year’s St Joey’s fete

September 9, 2014

St Joseph’s Catholic School in Murgon held its annual fete on Friday night and it was – as always – one of the biggest nights in town.

Visitors came from Murgon, Cherbourg, Wondai, Wheatlands, Moffatdale and other localities all around the district to sample the delights of the fete’s many stalls, which offered everything from delicious home-cooked cakes and sweets to freshly cooked pancakes and hot chips.

More adventurous souls could scale the multi-storey slippery dip which towered over the school’s oval for an ultra-rapid descent, or toss balls at the Dunking Machine’s bulls-eye to see if they could sink a succession of very wet volunteers.

This year, Fr Michael Carroll was the first to sit on the target stand and he soon had cause to lament the deadly accuracy of local ball-throwers.

There was also plenty to tempt punters, who could try their skills on the Lob-A-Choc Stand, or cast their fate to the winds with exotic Chook Lotto.

The fete is a fundraiser for the school and parish and over many years has grown to become an icon on Murgon’s social calendar.

Almost all the stands at the fete are run by local volunteers offering mostly local goods, many lovingly produced in home kitchens and others made and cooked fresh on-site.

The fete is traditionally held in the first few days of Spring to avoid conflicting with preparations for important end-of-year exams.

Monique Pearson and Ryan Ramsey from Murgon Police wait for chips from Cherbourg Police’s Amy Dalton, center; Amy is also St Joseph’s official “Adopt A Cop”

Fr Michael Carroll was the first victim of the dreaded Dunking Machine

Trish Wiley, from Murgon, had fun glowstick snakes for sale at the fete
Winner! Caitlyn Carney, 10, from Moffatdale, won a chocolate bar on the Lob-A-Choc Stand from operator Jenny Cran, who rang a bell to announce every prize-giving

Busy bakers Stella Miller, Patrice Jones and Linda Brown ran the Cake Stand

South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and wife Eleanor came along to enjoy the fun
Is life sweeter in Murgon? Lyn Kelly, Gaye O’Sullivan and Shirley Hickey spent weeks cooking up the sweet stand’s ample displays to prove it is

The giant slide towered over the fete and proved popular with visitors

Carol Nguyen, originally from Vietnam but now from Murgon, had Japanese sushi on sale
Cr Kathy Duff and Murgon’s Ian Jones were kept busy selling tickets for the amusement rides
Margaret Hobbs, Bernadette d’Arcy and Teresa Hodson, from Wondai, ran the Arts and Crafts stand