April 24, 2018
The sunshine brought out biggest crowd seen in years – possibly, ever – at the Wondai Garden Expo at the weekend.
By lunchtime on Saturday, an amazing 1700 people had passed through the gates.
Stallholders that southburnett.com.au spoke to were all saying the same thing … they had been very, very busy.
One was bemoaning the fact he had sold out of his major lines by 10:00am.
Speaking at the official opening, organising committee president Helen Young thanked the “huge number” of stallholders who had come along.
“For every older stallholder who drops out we pick up up three new ones,” she said.
Helen said she had a wonderful committee and group of volunteers who turn up every weekend to prepare the area.
She thanked the South Burnett Regional Council for their help but said she wished more Council staff actually came along to the event.
“They do themselves a disservice by not coming,” she said.
She said the Mayor and councillors regularly came along but not the people behind the scenes.
“They are the ones we have to talk to when we want a favour. We really, really need the back-up of Council … we are grateful for what we get, but to know that we are valued is great, too.
“It takes a whole community to keep an event like this going and growing.”
Mayor Keith Campbell said this was “a point that that can be taken on board”.
He said he was sometimes disappointed when he came to events to notice there were many people living in the local community who did not come along.
But he said the Expo committee should be very proud of their efforts, noting there were “oceans of cars” parked out the front of the sportsground.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff said the Garden Expo had become a signature event for Wondai.
She said sometimes Council staff were often around but didn’t make themselves known … for example, Tourism Officer Julie Foley had come to the Expo on Saturday morning.
“It was the first time she had been here and she was gobsmacked,” Cr Duff said.
She said the facility (Wondai Sportsground) belonged to Council but the volunteers were doing a marvellous job looking after it and “we keep that front and centre at Council”.
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South Burnett Orchid Society Annual Show
The South Burnett Orchid Society’s annual show at the Wondai RSL Club attracted a good crowd as well as 170 entries from 18 exhibitors.
Exhibitors came from as far away as Noosa, Maroochydore, Bundaberg and Maryborough.
